Pokemon: Ultra Light
by Moonstruck-Mist
Summary: When the light of her world is stolen away, a human-turned-Pokémon must journey through alternate dimensions in search of the being who holds her home's light. On her journey, she makes new friends, enemies, and even meets old acquaintances long forgotten. Will she reach the beast before her time limit is up? Or will she fail, even with her friends' assistance? (Post-PMD 2 story)
1. Prologue: Black Light

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I own the story and all characters, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

Kira was never one for Pokémon battles. Much rather, she stayed around the Professor's office, often helping with the Pokémon in the area or filling in for her while she was gone or busy. During this time, she had made many friends with the Pokémon she helped to raised. But even then, she never got the experience of a trainer or of the world. It wasn't like she actually minded, though. She liked staying where she could have a comfortable life.

One day, during a very uneventful time of her life, Kira received a letter from the Professor of Alola, Kukui. Kira had never met the professor, nor had she really wanted to, but, well, this was quite the shock. Kira knew she wasn't very well known, especially outside the region, but Professor Juniper had probably spoken to him about her on her trips. She really didn't know, so she didn't question it any further.

Within the next week, she was already walking along the sandy shores of the Alola region. When she had told Juniper, she was told to pack and head to the region as fast as possible, which was what she did. She felt a bit worried, especially since she was leaving her friends behind, but this was something that she couldn't pass up, even if she had wanted to.

Shaking her head, Kira headed towards the run-down shack that Professor Kukui lived in alongside his Pokémon. At the door, she knocked lightly, only to hear a loud thud from inside. She had been warned that the house was a bit weak, but she hadn't expected it to be like that. If it was still standing, though, then how could it have been weak? That was something that actually confused her.

After a moment of silent, she heard a muffled shout coming from inside. She moved back a bit, rubbing her arm as the familiar cries of Corsola and many other Pokémon reached her ears. Perhaps this was a good environment to study them; out in the open and alongside them as neighbors.

As she was thinking, the door quickly opened, revealing Kukui as she thought it would. "Hello, Professor Kukui," she said with a light, yet very faint, smile. "I came as quick as I possibly could, sir. Your letter said there was something you needed me to do here?"

"Right," Kukui panted as he looked back at his Pokémon. "There have strange occurrences around Poni Island for the past five months. I've been trying to find out what they were, but no one can get close enough to the island. Any inhabitants have had their connections to us cut, even though there are no clouds in the sky or around the island. I was hoping you could help with the investigation."

"Umm... I could probably help, but I know next to nothing about Alola," Kira responded. "I know a lot about your Pokémon, and even some of the legendries you have here, but I know nothing about the islands themselves, especially Poni."

"That's why we're sending you there with someone who does," Kukui responded. "Please, come inside while I get him. He's a bit shy during the day, but he's really nice. He knows Poni inside and out, and possibly can help in your investigation."

Kira nodded lightly and moved into the house. She looked around, noticing that it was actually a lot neater than she would have thought. Perhaps it was just the outside appearance people were talking about, but the inside was surprisingly neat, especially with how Kukui did his research. Shaking her head, she moved out of Kukui's way so he could go to the basement.

Out of his sight, Kira moved over to the few Pokémon who roamed in the house freely. She noticed Rowlett, Stufful, Rockruff, and even Pikipek, but she was sure there must have been more somewhere. She studied every nook and cranny she could, which wasn't actually all that many. Kukui was extremely organized, unlike what she was told.

As she was watching the Pokémon play, Kukui walked up behind her, placing a Pokéball beside her; she turned and looked up to him curious. She hadn't expected this of all things. She thought that he had been talking about someone, definitely not a Pokémon. This was quite shocking, metaphorically of course.

"Be careful, kay?" Kukui said with a proud smile. "There's a ferry right off of the shopping district of Hau'oli City. You can use that ship to get as close to Poni island as possible. Promise me you'll be careful, Kira. Juniper was really worried about you when I asked her for your help."

"You should worry more about the Pokémon," Kira responded as she slowly stood, looking at the Pokéball for a moment before looking to Kukui. "I'm no trainer, sir. I've never trained a Pokémon myself, only helped and kept healthy. I'm no good for this kind of challenge."

"I'm not sending you in because I want you to become a trainer." Kukui smiled and rubbed her head. "I'm sending you because you understand Pokémon better than even most trainers. I'm sending you in hopes of finding out just what's happening on Poni island."

After a moment, of silence, Kira clenched the Pokéball tightly and nodded. "I understand, sir," she whispered lightly. "But how am I going to get on the island from a ship? You said no one could get close to the island. How could I be any different."

"I just have a funny feeling about you," Kukui responded before turning and chuckling to himself. "Besides, your partner there should be able to assist you in reaching the island with no problem. Just keep an eye out for any mysterious behavior, and you'll both be fine."

Nodding once again, Kira then left, heading to Hau'oli City quickly. While she was even more terrified now, especially since she'd been here less than an hour, she couldn't complain. Going on an adventure sure sounded fun right about now, but research came first. If Poni Island was in danger, then so was the rest of Alola, and perhaps the world. She had to find the cause of this disturbance before it spread, even if she was scared.

Before long, she was on a ferry and on her way to Poni Island. She stood on the bow of the ship, watching the waves coming towards her and smiling at the familiar breeze that gave her warmth and strength. It reminded her of Unova, but she knew she was a long way from home now.

As she was thinking, the Pokéball on her belt shook, distracting her from her thoughts. Cautiously, she reached down and pulled it off, clicking the small button that expanded it. With a faint smile, she held it up, then allowing it to open and release the Pokémon inside: Pidgeot.

"So Professor Kukui gave me a Pidgeot," she chuckled as she looked over the Bird Pokémon. "It's really nice to meet your acquaintance, Pidgeot. I hope we can solve the mystery of Poni Island together."

Pidgeot nodded and hopped closer, looking over the ocean and to the approaching island. Kira frowned lightly and leaned to look a bit closer. It had been a while, yes, but it wasn't long enough to already be reaching the island.

"Are you ready to go?" she asked Pidgeot, moving back to give it room to prepare for flight. "I think we should take off now, before anything bad happens. I don't want this to fail any worse than it already might."

Pidgeot nodded in response and spread his wide wings. Kira looked behind her to make sure no one was watching as she got on Pidgeot, who, before she could usher the command, took off. Kira gripped Pidgeot's feathers tightly, not having expected it to be able to move as fast as she had read. Pidgeot didn't seem to mind her grip, but slowed down a bit so she could relax a bit more. By this time, the island was approaching faster than ever.

Kira looked over Pidgeot's side and to the island. She sighed lightly and watched the island for any strange behavior. But from where they were, there seemed to be absolutely nothing wrong with the island. There was no cloud cover, no unusual winds, and nothing seemed to be wrong with the island. It was all as Kukui had told her, but a lot more peaceful than expected.

As they were starting to descend, the familiar sound of thunder reached Kira's ears. She flinched, which made Pidgeot's descent a bit harder to control until she had relaxed once more. Kira, once having calmed, looked around for the source, but there was still no sign of cloud cover or anything of the sort.

"That was weird," she whispered lightly as they came closer to the island, eventually reaching just a mile away from it. She could tell Pidgeot, much like herself, was terrified. "But we need to push on. This is for Pokémon and humans alike."

With a nod, Pidgeot quickly folded his wings, then flying at the island faster than ever before. Kira saw it for only a moment, but Pidgeot wasn't quick enough to move as lightning then struck, slamming into them both and sending them to the ground.

Kira groaned as she hit the ground, which, lucky for them both, had only been about a twenty or thirty foot drop. Kira slowly stood, only to collapse once more as pain coursed through her, taking every bit of strength from her.

"Pidgeot? Are you okay?" Kira groaned as she looked over to the Pokémon, who seemed to be struggling from the same thing as her.

"F-fine, ma'am," he responded, shocking her greatly as it spoke. "Did you see a ghost or something, Kira? Come on. We need to get off the ground before something stumbles across us." No matter how much he tried, Pidgeot found himself unable to move.

"Status effect paralysis," Kira pointed out as she forced herself to her feet. "I can't suffer from the same state, but I can't feel anything. I think my nervous system was short-circuited."

"If it was, you'd be dead by now," Pidgeot responded before to electricity soon faded and allowed him to move. "I think you might have broken something. If not that, then you might be in some sort of state where you feel awake, but your body isn't."

Kira nodded before eventually regaining feeling in her body. By that time, the sun was already fading over the horizon, turning the island to night. She had really wanted to finish this before night, but it wasn't like that could be helped. This was a mission, and she had to go through with it until the very end.

When she could finally move, she sat next to Pidgeot, who had caught several fish from somewhere. She didn't bother asking, seeing as of how that would just make matters worse. It was already weird enough, with him talking and all, but she didn't care at the moment. Both had been struck by lightning, so she knew something was bound to happen.

"You seem tense, ma'am," Pidgeot pointed out through a beakful of fish. "I think it would be best if you relax. We're on the island, and the only bad thing to happen was the lightning. That and the fact that the only living souls are in the water. I found no other signs of life apart from the surprisingly lush vegetation."

"Right," Kira mumbled as she lowered her shoulders, looking into the fire they had started. "But I was just thinking about everything that's been happening. There was no cloud cover, so how did the lightning strike? How did we even get close enough to this island, and yet we landed on it. And how did we survive that fall with no major injuries. From that height, I'd have at least a few broken bones."

"We're on an island where mysterious events have been occurring for a while now," Pidgeot reminded her, wrapping his wings around her to provide warmth. "I wouldn't be surprised if that lightning shot a bit of that mysteriousness into you and me. Perhaps that's why you can understand me!"

"Maybe," Kira mumbled as she yawned and settled into him. "Thank you so much for caring for me, Pidgeot. I'm sure it must have been hard for you to just meet me and take me on a journey to Poni Island."

"Actually, I've been with professor for the past year," Pidgeot laughed as he moved away and looked to the sky. "If it weren't for you and his instinct, I'd be stuck in that Pokéball for Arceus knows how long. Because of you, I'm actually out and about."

Kira nodded and response and looked at the blazing fire. As she was watching the flickering of flames, a feeling of dread washed over her. The fire became dark, eventually giving off a cold warmth. How was that even possible? Kira instinctively stood, looking to the sky as it started to become dark, almost as though becoming covered in a dark cloud.

"I don't think this is the cause of something accidental," Kira pointed out as thunder and lightning began to strike and echo more often than ever before. "I wonder what kind of Pokémon could cause this kind of damage to light."

"Necrozma," Pidgeot growled. "We have to get to the Poni Altar as soon as possible! That's where Necrozma usually appears when an Ultra Wormhole will open when it needs to feed. If it's absorbing light, we need to stop it before it can consume our world!"

"You mean _the_ Necrozma?" Kira asked as she turned and looked towards where the alter would be. "If that's true, then we better hurry and try to get it through the Ultra Wormhole. This is _not_ how I expected my first night on Alola to play out. I thought it'd be so much more peaceful."

"As did I," Pidgeot snarled as he allowed her to get on his back. "When we reach the altar, you have to be careful, Kira. Necrozma doesn't like humans, especially those who don't have any light to give him. There is only so much we can do to stop it."

Kira nodded as Pidgeot took off, heading straight towards the top of the altar. Lightning struck from all directions, but they were lucky enough not to get hit a second time. Above them, the sky had begun to grow darker and darker, a sign of Necrozma's light-stealing powers. It seemed to take forever before they were finally able to land, but by that time, the entire sky had become dark, and lightning no longer struck.

"Is it just me, or does it feel colder all of a sudden?" Kira said as she slowly looked to the darkened sky. Even during the night, she had never felt so cold. That was when it started to snow. "Snow? In Alola? What the hell is Necrozma doing?"

"I have no idea, but I say we better hurry and stop it before the light is stolen away." Pidgeot then spread his wings and started forward, only to be thrown to the ground by a powerful beam of light.

"Human and Pokémon shall not pass," a deep voice resonated within their heads. "Human and Pokémon have entered forbidden land. Extermination must occur. Light cannot be allowed to be taken away from me."

Kira groaned and slowly moved over to Pidgeot. From there, she could see the dark being that was stealing their light: Necrozma. It looked a bit weird, especially with how bright it was compared to the surroundings, but she was more worried about what it was saying. Why would it want to exterminate them? Then again, why was it even here, taking their light? Was it trying to take it so no one else could?

"Human spotted," it said, its voice becoming robotic and emotionless. "Human and Pokémon subjects show no sign of hostility, and are much rather curious and lost. Extermination terminated." It looked at them with dark eyes, a small chuckle escaping it. "You humans are weird. I never allowed anyone on my island, and then you appear, as though the barrier couldn't stop you. Why is that? How did you come to be here?"

"I am here because I was sent to investigate the events happening upon Poni Island!" she snapped at it, walking closer to try and avoid its questions. "You are stealing the light from a world where it belongs! Why, out of all the worlds you could go to, are you doing this to us? What did we do to deserve this?"

"You avoided my questions, so I'll just ignore yours," Necrozma responded, lifting a hand aiming a powerful attack at her. "Now, give me a good reason not to obliterate you right here and now, human. No matter what you tell me, even if I do decide to spare you, you'll die to the darkness anyways."

Kira was silent for a moment before she stepped closer to Necrozma. She didn't know whether it was the adrenaline in her or her mind telling her to fight, but she didn't care. "What do you want? I'll give you anything if you leave the light in my world alone, Necrozma. I'll jump through any hoop and crash any barrier!"

"A human asking me to give the light of their world back?" Necrozma laughed. "How silly, and yet so fun to use. I have an idea, child. Chase me down and battle me. If you win, then I'll give the light of your world back. But if you fail to do so, your world will die, and you will be stuck wherever you end up. You said you would do anything, and I think that's rather fair, wouldn't you say?"

"Don't trust him," Pidgeot growled as he quickly flew over, spreading his wings wide. "Necrozma is a liar. He would do anything to get the light from any world, including ours. We can't trust him, Kira!"

"If that's how you're gonna be," Necrozma sighed. "Prismatic Laser!" A beam suddenly flew from Necrozma's hand, slamming into Pidgeot and knocking him several feet away. "Now, human, decide your fate. Find me and defeat me, or give up your world's light."

"I don't have a choice, do I?" Kira whispered as she looked to her feet. With a light chuckle, she then raised her head. "It's a fine deal, Necrozma. I accept your challenge!"

Necrozma chuckled lightly and aimed his attack at her. "That's the kind of vigor I like to hear coming from you humans," he responded as the light became brighter. "But for now, your journey to capturing me begins. I'd wish you luck, but I'm gonna enjoy watching as you try to chase me down. Goodbye, human."

Kira's eyes widened in realization at what he meant. She tried to move out of the way of the attack, but it slammed into her nonetheless. Within moments, it had stopped, but the pain remained. She closed her eyes, chuckling lightly to herself while all sense of feeling disappeared.

"Screw you, Necrozma," she whispered as everything became dark. "I'll find you and make you give my home back its light." She then fell unconscious, unaware of the journey she was going to be put through due to the challenge.

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Prologue: Black Light. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	2. Chapter 1: The Pokémon World

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I own the story and all characters, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
Characters not belonging to me (CNBM): Infected belong to Starlightnexus-Chan on DeviantArt._

Kira groaned as she slowly returned to consciousness. The faint whisper of a cool breeze mixed with the light splashing of nearby waves. The smell of saltwater and cooking meat reached her senses, dragging her deeper from her sleep. Before long, she was aware that she was lying somewhere near the ocean, and that she was definitely not alone.

Slowly, she managed to pushed herself into a sitting position, moving a hand to her heart where she felt it beating at an incredible rate. She then noticed an odd weight from her back, and turned, freezing at the sight of the leaf-like tail extending from her lower-back, which also had a yellow line moving from its base and further up her back. The next thing she noticed was her nose, which seemed to have extended, and was now a grass-green/cream color. Then, she looked at her hands, which were the same color as her nose and tail, and had only three digits instead of the five she remembered happening.

She managed to hold it in for a short while, but the shock eventually caught up to her. She let out an earsplitting screech, shouting both at herself and the world in what she could only assume was confusion and fear. She raised her new hands to her head, holding it as she tried to catch her breath and make a rational thought, but nothing came to her; she was panicking far too much.

"Would you shut your tiny mouth?" a voice grumbled from the tree above her. "You're so loud that I'm sure the next village over was awoken by you. By the way, what the hell are you? I don't think I've ever seen your kind in this neck of the woods before."

Kira, still breathing heavily, looked up and at the creature that had been speaking to her. The creature was a small avian with brown and cream feathers. The small bird-like creature resembled a sparrow; it also reminded her of chickadee. But then again, why was it talking to her? Why couldn't she remember anything, even what this weird creature was?

"Hello?" it asked again, fluttering its wings in mild annoyance. "I asked you a question, and yet you completely ignored me! Who the hell are you, and what are you? Two simple-to-answer questions, and yet you don't even reply! Seriously!"

"I'm sorry," Kira responded after a moment of silence. "You see, my name's Kira, but I have no idea what I am, where I am, how I got here, or anything else at all. I'm really sorry if I did something wrong, b-but I'm lost. V-very, very lost actually."

"So you just woke up here several minutes ago with no memories of who you are apart from your name?" it asked, to which she then nodded. "In all actuality, that really isn't surprising. It's not like this would be the first time it's happened."

"What do you mean?" Kira asked as she slowly stood, stumbling a bit closer to the bird. "Not this being the first time, I mean. I didn't know there was anyone else who suffered the same thing as me."

"Well, let me put it in simpler terms for you." It took a deep breath before continuing. "Some time ago, Pokémon started to wash up in the most conspicuous places all over the world, often without their memories. Now, as far as I'm aware, they're still here and alive, but I'm not sure. Nowadays, the only real news is about mystery dungeons, new villains, and the idea that the world may come to an end soon. Apart from that, nothing new about the amnesiacs."

Kira nodded lightly and lowered her head. If there were others like her, then perhaps they could help her, or at least tell her why she had lost her memory. She then shook her head, laughing to herself at the false idea of it even being possible. What would she even tell them? That she had woken up in a forest with no memories apart from her name and that she was chasing some beast named Necrozma?

"Wait... There's something else," Kira mumbled under her breath as the faint memory came back. "I'm chasing after someone, a Necrozma." She flinched lightly as she heard the bird squeak loudly.

"You're chasing after the legendary Necrozma?!" it chirped as it flew from the branch and to the floor. "I'm sure your amnesia is just trying to make up memories to fill in the gaps, but why would you be chasing after such a powerful being?! Necrozma steals the light of worlds away without mercy! What would you want with that? Wait! You aren't seriously going to steal light using his powers, are you?! Squawk! Terrible indeed!"

"It's nothing like that!" Kira shouted as she tried to get the avian to calm down. "It's distant, but I think it's some sort of challenge I have to complete. My world, the one I came from, is having its light stolen away by Necrozma, and I really need to get after it. The only problem is that I don't know where I can go. I don't even know if it's even here."

"Well, I can see your problem there." It sighed lightly and looked around. "I think I know a place we can go and find some answers, but it might take a while before we find anything. By the way, my name's Duke! I'm a Pidgey!"

"Thanks," Kira said, wiping at tears she hadn't even realized were forming. "I already said it before, but I'm Kira. I have no idea what I am, so I hope we can find an answer to that before long. I hate not having any memories."

"Trust me, I would too," Duke laughed before he started to hop away and into the forest. "Now I say we should get moving before the sun's too high. There's a beach nearby, but it's a bad time to head there, so we'll be taking a detour to town."

Kira nodded lightly before the faint smell of cooking meat reached her nose once more. "Does anyone near here cook?" she asked as she licked her lips, finding herself to be rather hungry actually. "Man, just the smell of whatever that is makes me hungry."

"Lucario is very well known for his ability to cook, but he's actually in town now," Duke said as he looked at Kira. "If you can smell him from here, that's actually quite surprising. Only my evolution line is known to be able to smell great distances in this forest. I wonder what you were like before your amnesia."

"At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if I was some sort of tracker," Kira said jokingly as she rushed after him, managing to keep up as he slowly flew right above her. "You know, this kind of feels familiar. I mean, I feel like I've been in this kind of forest before."

"Well, a lot of us have been," Duke mumbled from above her. There was a moment of silence before he moved slightly closer to her. "Didn't you say something about being from a different world where Necrozma was stealing your light? I was wondering... what was your world like? It's okay if you can't remember, but I was just curious."

"I think it was similar to this one," Kira responded with a light chuckle. "I can't exactly recall, but I do know there were creatures like you and me there. I'm sure there were others, possibly humans, but no matter how close I get, I can't find the answer. It's so annoying being unable to grab the answers that are right there in your head!"

Duke chuckled lightly and shrugged in midflight. "Well, let's find some answers to this stuff before caring about what your world was like." He fell silent for a moment before starting to slow. "Kira, we aren't alone here. Someone's following us."

Kira slowly came to a halt, looking behind them as Duke spoke. She then heard footsteps and growling, and froze at the oddly familiar sound of barking and howling. She wasn't sure what scared her more at this point: the possible dogs that were going to attack them, or how she was somewhere she didn't know even the tiniest bit.

"Keep calm," she reminded herself as the underbrush started to shake. "Keep calm and there won't be any problems." She held her breath for a moment before stepping back. "Duke, I can't keep a hold of myself. I'm scared."

Duke nodded in response as the red-muzzled canine pushed its way from the bushes. Its main body was black, but it also had a red underbelly, white bands around its paw, and two rib-like ridges on its back. Duke recognized it as Houndour, a dark/fire Pokémon with a knack for hunting in packs.

"Just stay calm and it won't attack," Duke responded as he moved closer to the hound. "What are you doing here, Houndour? I thought your kind lived back in that cave? Why are you in the forest?"

"Our cave was destroyed by that pesky creature that's been going around," it growled lightly. "Whatever that thing is, it sure doesn't care about anyone or anything. Our leader was hurt during the attack, so I was sent out to find food and shelter for the pack. Do you know any place where we can rest for a bit?"

"Actually, I don't," Duke responded, calming down as he noticed the many scars on Houndour's body. "Why don't you come with us to town, Houndour? We can find some food there, and I'm sure someone would know a great place for your pack to rest."

"Thanks, but I think it's best if I stick around the forest for now." Houndour smiled lightly before looking at Kira. "Who are you? I don't think I've ever seen one of you. Are you some sort of almost extinct species?"

"We aren't sure yet," Duke interrupted. "I think we better get going, Kira." As he turned, he looked back at Houndour for only a moment. "Don't mess up like your old pack leader did. Your reputation is still a bit rotten to the others." He then flew ahead, not really waiting for Kira.

"Man, he sure holds a grudge on you, huh?" Kira mumbled as she looked over at Houndour. "If you ever need to talk about something, don't be afraid to find me. I'm sure you and your pack are going through some rough times right about now, so I'll try and help however I can."

"Thanks for the offer, Kira," Houndour said with a light smile. "I'll be sure to come find you when I need assistance. I hope you find answers to whatever it is you're looking for."

With a nod, Kira rushed after Duke. Something about the short encounter felt a bit familiar, but she didn't linger on it. She pushed it to the side as she ran after Duke, listening for the sound of his wings as she did so. As she was running, the familiarity started to fade away. Why was she here with only her name and that goal in mind? Something about it felt off, but she knew it was what she was supposed to do. She hurriedly shook it off. It wasn't important at the moment... right?

"Why is everything so easy to question?" she mumbled as she jumped over bushes and fallen twigs. "I wish I had some answers, but was this done on purpose? Did someone erase my memories for the purpose of finding Necrozma without hesitation?" Now she was questioning herself. Could it possibly be true that someone wanted her to take down the black beast for their own gain? "I have to find an answer soon. I can't just rush into this life without knowing anything."

Before she even realized it, the forest had begun to thin out. She raised her head just as a breeze hit her, sending chills down her spine and straight through her soul. She slowed to a stop, looking around a bit before she noticed Duke standing several yards from her.

"Kira, don't move a muscle," Duke whispered as his eyes stared at the sky. "I didn't think they'd still be here, but I guess my sources were wrong." Duke then took off, only to slam back into the ground not even a second later.

"Duke!" Kira shouted as she rushed forward, checking over the Pidgey. She noticed several large gashes along his chest. While not deep, they had drawn a bit blood. "You told me not to move, and yet you moved anyways. Good Arceus, you're a brave fool."

Kira chuckled and looked up to the distant shadow that Duke had probably been looking at. She growled lightly and backed away from Duke. She wasn't sure what was driving her, but she knew what she had to do: knock out this beast or get it away from Duke.

Before she really had time to attack or shout, the creature had begun to swoop down at her. She yipped and jumped, barley managing to get over the large, metallic bird before it skidded to a stop and looked at her.

The Pokémon was grey-silver in color with a metallic blue around its neck, legs and tail. Red feathers rest beneath the silver wings, giving it the resemblance of what she thought was some sort of plane. Its yellow eyes had red irises, and there was even a similarly colored aura around its body.

"Pathetic!" it screamed loudly, its voice ringing like metal against metal. "You're all so pathetic! I was told you'd put up a fight, and yet _this_ is what I receive! I'll be sure to put you out of your pathetic misery!"

"What is even going on in this world?" Kira mumbled as she backed away from the creature. "I don't who or what you are, but why are you just attacking us out of the blue?! We didn't do anything to you!"

"Skarmory won't listen to you," Duke groaned while the Pokémon was raging. "It's called an Infected Pokémon. Their minds are nothing but rage and destruction. We could knock it out, but it'll come straight after us. The only known way to get rid of it is to kill it."

"But there has to be a way to remove the infection, right?" Kira mumbled before she noticed Skarmory was rushing at her. "Oh, shiza!" she yipped as she ducked beneath the metallic creature, feeling as it rushed right above her. "That thing is fast as hell! How is it moving like that?!"

"I know it may look like it's completely made of metal, but we all know that its wings are hollow, lightening it and allowing it to fly much faster than can be expected," Duke responded, quickly flying away from the Skarmory. "We can't just stand here and talk! We have to fight it!"

Kira nodded, although she was rather hesitant on the idea. She was snapped from her hesitation as she noticed it rushing at her once more. Quickly, she jumped up, hoping she would dodge, only for Skarmory to suddenly change directions and slam into her from beneath.

"Vine whip!" she instinctively yipped as she started to fall. As the vines rushed from her, they grabbed onto Skarmory's legs before dragging the metal bird down, slamming it into the ground while also softening her own landing. "Wh-whoa! That was amazing!"

Kira smiled widely before rushing at Skarmory with a newfound boldness. She slammed into the metallic Pokémon before she was launched upwards. She used the Vine whip once to land without hurting herself; it felt amazing to be able to do this without worrying about falling to death, but she knew keeping it up was impossible. Skarmory would eventually figure her out.

"PATHETIC!" it screamed loudly as it stood and glared at them. "YOU'RE BOTH SO PATHETIC! I'LL KILL YOU BOTH, AND THEN I'M GOING TO USE YOUR BONES AS TOOTHPICKS AS I EAT YOU!" Skarmory let out a terrifying screech before rocketing forward, almost surpassing the previous speed it had gained the previous attack. "DIE, YOU FILTHY CREATURES!"

Kira yipped loudly as the metal wing from Skarmory slammed into her. For what felt like hours, time froze as pain tore through her body. She grit her teeth as she used Vine whip to grab Skarmory's wing.

"Enjoy your time in Hell," she whimpered. Using the vines, she twisted Skarmory, sending it headfirst into the ground. A sickening crunch then followed as Kira landed several feet away, unable to move. "Oww. That hurt."

"No dip, Sherlock," Duke groaned as he fluttered over to her, placing a wing over her chest. "Skarmory definitely broke a few of your ribs with that Steel wing attack. You're just lucky you managed to take it down before any more damage could be done."

"Thanks, but I feel like I'm dying over here," Kira groaned, flinching slightly every time she breathed. "Can we just find a way to get fixed up-like a doctor or something?"

"Yeah, but I can't move you in this condition," Duke responded as he moved away. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Kira, don't move a muscle, or I swear to Arceus I will chase you down all the way to death."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Duke," Kira mumbled before falling limp. "Just please hurry up. I don't know how much longer of this I can take."

The last thing she heard was the fluttering of Duke's wings before he rushed off. She remained there, unable to move even the tiniest amount for what she thought was forever. Before long, she had finally passed out. 

* * *

Thank Arceus you found me before it got any worse," a voice mumbled, slowly dragging Kira from sleep. "If she had been there any longer, I don't think there would be much I could do. It's not like I have the chance to study such rare Pokémon nowadays anyways."

"I just figured you'd be able to do it, Nurse Audino," Duke's voice echoes. "You're both a rare species nowadays, and I was thinking maybe you could help. Anyways, thank you, Audino. I don't know how I could ever repay you."

"There's no need for it, Duke," Audino chuckled. "If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here doing what I love." Audino's steps then echoed a bit as he moved closer to Kira. "The anesthesia should be wearing off right about now. Hello? Can you hear me?"

"Mm? What's going on?" Kira groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. She was met with a bright pink/cream face with bright blue eyes. This thing must have been Audino. "Where am I? What happened?"

"You should relax and stop asking all those questions," Duke said as he landed next to her. "This is Nurse Audino. He's the one who healed you up. He's definitely one of the best out there."

"You make me blush," Audino said with a light chuckle. "But pushing past that, he's right. Your body is in terrible condition, even for a Snivy. You had three fractured ribs, your left tibia was shattered, your right radius was broken, and both your scapulae (shoulder blades) were split in half. You were basically dead, but Duke here is rather fast on his feet."

"I don't deserve such things to be said about me," Duke mumbled under his breath. "Anyways, you're alive, you're healing, and you'll be back on your feet within the next couple of hours. In sunlight, your body heals incredibly fast, so most of your wounds were already fine by the time Audino was there. Just a while more in the sun and you'll be fine."

"If only it were that simple," Audino interrupted. "While your body does heal at an incredible rate while in the sun, it also takes many nutrients through photosynthesis. Based on my studies, your kind would need to eat quite often if you wished to heal under the sun. Have you had anything to eat recently, Kira?"

"Umm... no," Kira mumbled, rubbing the back of her head as she slowly moved to a sitting position. "I don't necessarily have any memories from before I woke in the forest-apart from my mission to find Necrozma."

"Well, then you'll need a large meal and a long rest as well," Audino said. "There's a café nearby, so you should be able to rest and eat there for the time being. Mistress Swanna would greatly appreciate if you took her over, Duke. She's been wanting to meet you forever."

"Great." Duke sighed and shook his head. "Sorry to say, Audino, but that's a no go. Remember when I told you we came across an Infected? Well, now I need to go scout the area and make sure that thing didn't call for any backup. Tell Swanna I'll meet her in the morning, kay?"

Audino sighed as he saw Duke fly out the room from an open window. "That guy thinks more with his brain than with his heart, but I guess he's just special that way." He then turned to Kira and smiled. "If you can walk, let's take you to Swanna's Café. She'll give you a place to rest for the night, so don't you worry. Also, please don't push yourself too much for the next... two or so days. Your body needs rest, even after it heals. Now, if we've got all that in the bag, let's go!"

Kira nodded as she slowly moved from the bed and to the floor. She flinched a bit at the expected pain, but it wasn't long before she was walking once more. Outside, she was surprised to see the sun still up. How long had it been since that battle? A couple of hours? A day? She didn't know, and she really didn't want to know.

As they were walking, Kira looked around at all the shops and Pokémon that had passed by. She didn't recognize most, but she did recognize the older, more common Pokémon. As she was looking around, she felt Audino grab her hand and pull her in another direction. She turned and looked to where they were heading; a large wooden building with the word 'Café' at the top of the entrance. This must be Swanna's Café.

"Now, before we head in, I want you to know that Swanna is easily overjoyed whenever someone asks to stay over," Audino said nervously. "If she starts to pamper you, don't let it get to your head. Apart from that, I expect to see you in my office tomorrow, Kira."

Kira nodded lightly before she was then walked into the Café. Upon entry, a white swan-like Pokémon appeared in front of them, startling Kira greatly. The Pokémon itself looked nothing special, apart from the blue feathers on its underside. This must have been Swanna, possibly because it looked like a swan!

"Howdy!" she chirped excitedly as she grabbed Kira's hand and shook it. "You must be Kira! Audino told me so much about you, or as mush as he could! It's incredible to meet you, finally! Oh, I haven't met a Snivy since my adventure to Lively Town!"

"That's nice and all, but you really shouldn't move her like that," Audino said, slowing Swanna to a stop. "She needs to spend the night here for recovery. I'm sorry if it's any inconvenience at all, but I'm sure I can pay for it."

"Not at all needed, darling!" Swanna chirped, moving away and smiling happily. "You see, I was actually expecting her, so I kind of have everything ready already! I would have been disappointed not to have someone spend a night here, and I'm so glad I have a guest for this day! Just her being here is enough for me!"

"That's good to hear about," Audino laughed as he moved away from then. "Anyways, I better get back to my office. I'm sure I have a few more patients to deal with now." He then left, leaving Kira with Swanna and the other Pokémon in the café.

"Audino's always been such a big worrier," Swanna said as she waddled away from Kira and to a large island. "Anyways, Kira, welcome to Esperanza Village, the Village of Hope!"

"Thank you, Swanna," Kira laughed as she followed close behind. After a moment, she blushed a bit as her stomach growled. "Arceus, I haven't had anything to eat in forever. You wouldn't happen to know where I could get some grub?"

"Actually, that's kind of what I was planning." Swanna smiled as she used her wings to grab some sort of metal dish on the top of a shelf behind the island. "Lucario came by earlier with something. He said it was for any guests that I would have, and so I guess he means for you. Anyways, your room is upstairs and to the left. Be careful not to break anything."

Kira nodded lightly before Swanna put the dish in her hands. Kira flinched lightly, then using her Vine whip as a support to keep the dish from crushing her. She then left Swanna, thinking to herself about the day. She had woken in a world she didn't know about, met Pokémon who could be potential friends, was attacked by some sort of Infected Pokémon, and then had quite a few of her bones broken. Well, today had been quite eventful and confusing, but she couldn't complain. It felt great to be having an adventure, but where would it truly begin?

"I have to find Necrozma," she whispered to herself as she closed her eyes. "I have to defeat that thing before the light of my world is completely erased. I don't have time to dawdle, but I have no idea where to go. I guess... patience is key at the moment."

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you made it to the end of Chapter 1: The Pokémon World. If you have any questions, please don't be afraid to ask me. I will answer to the fullest of my ability, which actually is quite a bit. If you see any errors, please tell me and I will try to fix them as soon as possible. Thank you for reading my story._


	3. Chapter 2: Black Flowers

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
_ _CNBM: Sage is property of .BuildingMyCoffin on Quotev/Aesthetic-maker on DA_

"So, you really don't remember anything at all, huh?" Swanna sighed lightly and started to pace around the room. "That is quite problematic, but I'm sure there must be answers somewhere. We can go to the library later, but you still need to stop by Audino's before anything. He called right before dawn, asking when you'd come over. He's really protective and worried about you! Haha!"

"I guess," Kira mumbled as she flexed her fingers, wincing every once in a while at the bits of pain that would course through her. "I just wish I hadn't had to deal with that Pokémon yesterday. I'd much rather be finding answers than sitting around and just waiting. This is so boring!"

"Trust me when I say I know how you feel," Swanna said with a light chuckle. She was silent for a moment before smiling faintly. "We should head over to Audino's office. I don't want him to come here and scare off my customers with his worrying."

Kira nodded lightly and slowly moved from the bed and to the floor. Her body had healed exponentially over the night, but there were still moments where pain would tear through her body. Apart from that, she didn't really feel any different from when she had woken yesterday. She still had no memories, knew only of her name and Necrozma, and that she was in a world that wasn't her own. At least no one was looking at her oddly for that. These Pokémon must have been used to having visitors from alternate worlds.

Shaking her head, Kira followed after Swanna as they left the café and headed down the road to Audino. Kira took the chance to look around once more. The streets were still filled with Pokémon, albeit less than there had been yesterday. It was probably too early for some to be out, or perhaps they were doing stuff outside or away from town.

"Swanna? What do most Pokémon do on days like this?" Kira mumbled as she rushed to catch up with the swan. "I mean, apart from everyday jobs and all that? There aren't as many Pokémon today as there were yesterday."

"That's because most Pokémon who come here around the afternoon are usually just passing through or picking up supplies for journeys," Swanna responded. "I guess I should have told you this, but we're a very popular pit-stop between Sundown City, Lake Artemis, and Clouded Forest. Pokémon come to us from all over the place to visit these locations and solve the many mysteries they have. It also makes us a popular tourist area, so you'll see some Pokémon come in and out."

Kira nodded lightly in understanding before a thought hit her. "Yesterday, when I woke up, Duke said there was a beach near where we were. He said that it wasn't safe to go there, but never explained why. Would you happen to know why that is?"

"Sorry to say, but Duke and the forest-living Pokémon are the only ones who know why the beach is blocked off." Swanna sighed lightly and shrugged before continuing down the road. "But you can ask him when you see him yourself. He's a big softie, so I'm sure you can get him to tell you."

Before Kira could respond, she was suddenly being picked up. She yipped and used her vines quickly, spinning and slamming the Pokémon who had grabbed her into the ground while she pushed herself several feet away. As she stopped, she looked up and noticed Audino.

"Oh, Arceus, I'm sorry!" Kira yipped as she ran over and helped Audino to his feet. "I didn't see you! You should have warned me you were gonna pick me up! I'm so sorry if I hurt you!"

"It's actually quite alright," Audino chuckled as he stood and shook dirt from his fur. "It's kind of my fault for picking you up without your permission first. Besides, it just means that you're getting better if you managed to land without hurting yourself." He then looked over to Swanna. "You did a good job in getting her to settle down."

"Don't thank me, sir!" Swanna laughed as she rubbed the back of her head with a wing. "It was all thanks to Lucario that she even fell asleep at all. The café was so busy that I thought she wouldn't be able to get to rest until the sun had risen. Lucario's getting better with his Soothe Meals."

"I hate to interrupt, but I keep hearing that name over and over," Kira said as she walked forward. "Who exactly is Lucario, and what is he so big around here? I know it must not be as important as my health or whatever, but seriously."

"Lucario's a famous hero known around the globe for helping Pokémon in need of assistance, desperate or not," Duke said before the others could respond, landing behind Kira. "The reason he's so big is because he just one day dropped out of being a hero and became a chef in place of his former career. Nobody really cares to speak of his past nowadays, but that's all there is to him. Just a retired Explorer who now cooks for a living."

"That makes sense, I think," Kira mumbled as she closed her eyes and sighed lightly. "Well, I guess that's out of the way now. By the way, Duke, you never explained why the beach was blocked off."

"Because of the Infected," Duke hurriedly told her. "Now let's push past that and hear the verdict. Audino, you know Kira can't stick around here for much longer. Skarmory will be coming back to find her soon enough, and we can't risk another attack like the last."

"Don't remind me of that incident," Audino mumbled lightly before turning to Swanna. "If you would please go see Lapras, tell her that we need a ferry to Treasure Town by sundown. Duke's right when he says we can't risk another attack. You know what'll happen."

"What incident?" Kira mumbled aloud, raising a hand to her head. "I seriously can't take all this information at once! On my first day in this world, I was attacked and found next to nothing about myself, and today I'm being shipped off like some sort of disease! Why is that?!"

"It's because we know stuff and we can't risk anything," Duke responded. "That Skarmory from yesterday likely warned their friends and are coming to destroy the town to find you! If you're gone, then we're all safe. Besides, what's a single life worth? Nobody knows you, nobody cares about you, and most of all, you know nothing. You may have taken down Skarmory, but you can't fight an entire army aiming to capture or kill you."

"And then what about my world?!" Kira snapped, stepping closer to Duke. "My world is in danger because of Necrozma! I have the fate of an entire universe resting on my shoulders, and all because some being wants to take the world away! If I die, then so will billions, if not trillions, of Pokémon! You can't just say you'd be killing one life! You're killing a lot more if you get rid of me!"

Duke growled throughout most of what she had to say, before then backing away and crossing his wings. "Arceus, you really have to play the card where you're from another world that Necrozma is destroying. Well, it's a first, so what I got to lose apart from my life?"

Swanna sighed lightly and stepped forward, splitting the two apart. "I think now would be a good time to get out of here." She sighed and looked at Audino. "I'm taking them to the mainland, okay? If Skarmory does plan on chasing Kira, then the only choice we have is to find a place where we can hide from the Infected for long enough. Plus, if what they say about Necrozma is true, then we should find out as much as we can."

Audino sighed and nodded. "You know how much I hate seeing you leaving, but I guess it can't be helped." Audino slowly turned and started to walk away. "Swanna, I want you back by tomorrow. You know someone in Treasure Town who can deal with the Infected with no problem, so just drop them off there. I don't want to hear you're staying there for any longer than the night. You know I'll find out."

"Of course," Swanna sighed, rolling her eyes then turning to Kira and Duke. "Lapras' Liner is to the east of our current location. You should be able to reach there by noon if you hurry. I'll meet you there in a while. I have to lock up and all that stuff. Man, I hate having to leave my café closed. It's not good for business."

"It just so happens that being closed during times of leave is better than being open and not having anyone in," Audino sighed as he face-palmed. "Just... can you please get going? Standing here and talking is taking away precious time I could use to be studying and helping people."

Swanna laughed nervously before nodding and quickly waddling away. Kira and Duke looked at each other before they shrugged and started down the road once more. The tension between the two was still a bit high, but they knew they'd have to deal with each other if they really wanted to get rid of the other. Kira wanted to go home, and Duke really just wanted to get back to the forest. However, they knew they couldn't just yet. They both had things to fulfill before they could go back.

After some time, they came to fork in the road, which led to three different locations. Kira looked up to the sky, noticing the sun. Since it was still early morning, she could only assume that the sun was still rising. She then looked at trails before heading down the one in the middle. Without question, Duke followed her.

"You don't need to follow me," Kira mumbled as she looked back to Duke. "You can fly, ya know. You can just fly ahead to Lapras if you want. You don't need to stay back with me."

"I'd rather stick with you than risk attack," Duke squeaked under his breath. "I may hate you, but I kind of have to suffer being with you if I want to live my life."

"That's the first time I've ever heard that." Kira chuckled lightly and stretched. She could feel the sore pains becoming less and less, and she was actually quite glad. "Soon enough, I'll be back to full strength. I can't wait to be able to fight once more."

"You can fight in the position you're in now," Duke sighed. "Some Pokémon are already dead when they fight. You don't have to worry about harming yourself during battle. Pokémon were made to be resilient to their own attacks. Arceus, you act like a human."

"I would take offense to that, but I guess I kind of do?" With a sigh, Kira looked away from him and to the trail ahead. Why did it feel like he was telling the truth? She was a Snivy, not human, right? "Well, let's just hurry up then. I don't want to stick here much longer."

Kira fell silent as they continued along the trail. The entire time, her thoughts were on what had happened yesterday. Her life felt all too much like a story, but that was a silly thought. Everything happened to someone for a reason, even if it didn't make sense. At least that kind of idea made sense. It wasn't as easily explained as others, probably, but at least is wasn't so far out there that none of it made _any_ type of sense.

Shaking her head, Kira then focused on the Skarmory from yesterday. She hated to admit it, but that was the one thing that had stuck with her through the entire night. That red glow in its eyes had given her nightmares that she couldn't wake from, and no matter how hard she tried, the nightmare would never leave her. She felt strike after strike as the metal bird would slam into her, never giving her the chance to breathe until she had died, only to wake in the moment once more. It was horrible, especially with all the whispering she had heard, but there was something off about it.

Why exactly was that dream, out of all the memories she had gained from yesterday, the most prominent thing in her? It made no sense, so perhaps there was something about them that she was connected to. From her assumption, maybe it wasn't uncommon, but how could that be? Hadn't Duke stated that the Infected had been here from long before she had appeared? Maybe she was called to save her world and find a way to stop the Infected. Maybe... Maybe she was meant for more than just what she thought she was.

As she was lost in thought, the sound of light squawking reached her ears, tearing her from her thoughts. She turned, looking back at Duke, only find that she was all alone now. She was no longer on the trail, but rather in a field of vibrant and wild flowers. Confusion struck her as Duke's cries reached her once more, only to echo and make her lose her concentration.

While looking around, the flowers became dark, up until they became a full on black. Kira stumbled back, looking at each flower carefully before the distant memory of Necrozma came back to her.

"The end of your world is slowly coming to an end," a voice echoed in her head, sending shivers down her spine. "Soon, I will have won this little challenge, and it will be me who holds the fate of the world in my hand. Hurry now, Kira. Soon, there will be no going back!"

Kira gasped loudly as she came back to reality. Her breathing became heavy as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. No matter how long she tried to focus, she was in the dark. Then, she welt a wing on her side. She quickly turned to Duke, who had a worried look on his face.

"Are you okay, Kira?" he asked as he tried to get her to calm down. "You just went into a daze for some reason. I tried to get your attention, but you wouldn't respond. Is there something wrong?"

Kira was silent for a moment before smiling and shaking her head. "No, nothing at all," she began before continuing down the trail. "Let's just get to Lapras before something stupid like that happens again. I don't want to miss the liner."

Duke sighed and nodded as he quickly hopped behind her. Kira had lost all interest in trying to find answers, but she knew she would one day. The clock to her world's destruction was ticking closer and closer by the second. She couldn't afford to waste much more time.

Before long, the duo arrived at the docks, where many Pokémon were either getting or leaving the back of several plesiosaur-like Pokémon with a blue hide and cream underside. On their backs was a grey shell with rather blunt knobs, probably used as some sort of defense. They actually looked rather cool, even special.

"Lapras' liner," Duke mumbled as he caught up, looking at the many Pokémon at the docks. "I should have expected this. With all the Infected around, Pokémon are trying to find places where they hold the type advantage. Well, so long as Swanna reached here before we did, then I guess we won't have to wait too long. She's a really fast flier."

"And indeed you are right, I am!" Swanna giggled as she landed behind them. "I already have our ride booked for Treasure Town! You two took so long that I could even get a snack from my café before heading back. Say, what took you so long? You should have been here by noon. Well, I guess it still is noon technically. It's not the afternoon yet."

"We just got caught by something," Duke responded, noticing Kira was studying the many Pokémon beneath. "I say we hurry to Treasure Town. I know it isn't far, but I kind of want to arrive before too much happens."

"Right. Me and you will be flying, Duke. Kira, since she can't really fly, will be riding Lapras." Swanna smiled faintly before heading towards the docks. "We have to be careful. I get the feeling that things are only kicking off."

Kira nodded lightly as she, along with Duke, followed Swanna to the Lapras. There, Swanna introduced Kira to Jamie, a rather young Lapras. While they were talking to each other, Swanna pulled Duke to the side.

"Don't try and lie to me this time," Swanna whispered to him. "I know it wasn't that you two were caught by something that you're late. I promise not to tell Audino about what happened. Just tell me the truth."

Duke sighed lightly and shrugged. "I'm not really sure of what caused it, but Kira just fell unconscious for, like, three seconds. Before she even hit the ground, she had snapped back awake. I think perhaps that Infected might have done something to her."

"Unlikely," Swanna mumbled. "I've been digging around Audino's files while she's been busy. According to her research, Infection can only spread through a bite or open wound. Kira and you were both completely fine the last time you came across an infected. Whatever's going on is between her and some other being. Perhaps about her mission or whatever."

"Necrozma!" Duke snarled under his breath. "Necrozma must've been refracting the light around her to show her something that only she could see. Perhaps she had blacked out because of that, but how could I have not seen it? I was right there!"

"You must remember that Necrozma is a psychic-type Pokémon. It most likely used some form of refracted telepathy to reach her." Swanna sighed lightly before looking to Kira and Jamie. "We better hurry. I don't have long before Audino wants me back in town."

Duke nodded and rushed over to Kira and Jamie. "You two better hurry and start on your trip. I'll catch up with Swanna as soon as we can. We have something to do here before we head to Treasure Town."

"Makes sense," Jamie began, her voice soothing and filled with joy. "Then let's get going, shall we? The ocean waits only for those who truly care for and love the ocean! That means it waits for no one but those who live within it."

"You sure are energetic for a Pokémon that swims across entire oceans in just a couple of days," Kira laughed as she jumped onto Jamie's shell. "But I think we should get going. I don't know how long this ride'll take, and I really want to see what Treasure Town holds."

"You'll love it!" Jamie said as she used her flippers to push away from the docks and to the ocean. She gave one last wave to Duke and Swanna before sighing. "My momma used to live near Treasure Town. Now she works as the Ferrier for Lively Town. I took her job as the guide between here and the other islands, although she's the only one who knows about the Hidden Land. I'm pretty sure Dialga's glad, nonetheless."

"Now that you mention that, I was wondering if you knew anything about Necrozma or his whereabouts," Kira mumbled, recalling her vision from earlier that day. "I know it may seem foolish to be looking for such a beast, but it's rather important."

"Well, while I'd love to help you in your search, I've never heard anything about Necrozma or where it lives." Jamie sighed lightly, paddling faster. "I'm sure someone in Treasure Town will, but I definitely don't. Besides, even if I did, I doubt it'd be useful. Necrozma is stuff of legend around here. That's even less of a reason to believe anything people say about it. Who knows what's right or wrong?"

Kira nodded lightly and sat back on Jamie's shell. "I guess that makes sense? I hope there really is something in Treasure Town. Just think about it like this: I've been here for only two days, and I'm running out of time to find and save my own world. I wonder how long I have left."

Jamie simply shrugged and continued onwards through the ocean. After a bit, the gentle flap of wings reached their ears. They both turned and noticed Duke and Swanna flying closer.

"Danger!" Duke cried out when he was within earshot. "Skarmory came earlier than we expected it to! It's coming alongside about twenty or so other Pokémon. We have to get to Treasure Town now!"

"We're too far to make it without some resistance," Swanna said as she caught up. "We'll have to fight our way out of their grasp." The faint echo of metal against metal then reached their ears. "How long until we reach Treasure Town's beach?"

"Three hours at the least," Jamie responded. "I can't swim as fast as the others, but I can try to pick up the pace. I just need time to get kicked off. How long do you think you can hold them off for?"

"Two against twenty?" Duke squawked, fear gripping his voice. "If you can't tell, we're screwed enough as it is! Holding them off is out of the question! We'll have to work together to fight them."

"Then let's do that," Kira mumbled as she stood, only to fall as Jamie hit a wave. She shook her head and stood once more. "If they come to us, then it means we have time to prepare! Swanna, Duke, take to the sky and wait to do an aerial assault. We'll deal with them from down here!"

"Great plan, but one small flaw," Swanna pointed out. "They have water-types on their side as well. None of us can fight under the water. We can't counter them from down there."

"Let me deal with that problem," Jamie said with a slight chuckle. "In case you forget, my species is also part ice-type I can deal with them if they get close to us. After all, we're well equipped for water, as well as ice."

Swanna nodded before turning to Duke. They both took a sharp cut upwards, disappearing from Kira's sight within moments. She looked over the horizon, noticing several dark shapes coming closer. Day two, and here come more Infected. Kira knew that it wasn't normal, but what was in this world? Well, it wasn't like she could change anything.

She shook her head and focused on the dark shapes. She wasn't sure of the outcome of this battle just yet, but what could go wrong here? Worst case scenario, they all died, but that was unlikely, right? She shook her head and silently let out her Vine whip. There was no going back now. 

* * *

By the end of the skirmish, Kira and crew were completely exhausted and sore. The twenty or so Infected hadn't been insanely powerful, but they had been so stubborn that they could barely get any chance to rest. Jamie herself had taken many more hits than them, especially with how there had been several Infected from under the water.

Shaking her head, Kira panted as she tried to relax on Jamie's shell. Duke and Swanna were still flying above them, although they were now in sight compared to before the attack that had come. At least they were still together and hadn't been driven too far off course.

"I didn't see Skarmory in the attack," Duke said as he flew closer to Kira and Jamie. "I think that Skarmory might have sent just a few dolls to weaken us up. But if that's true, then why isn't it here by now? We should keep our guard up!"

"I think we should just relax and let go of this stress," Jamie responded, slowing drastically to try and catch her breath. "My defenses were almost completely shattered, and I can barely breathe enough as is it."

"I agree with Jamie," Swanna added, blood seeping from several scratch wounds along her underside. "My wings are exhausted, and my power points are spent. I can barely fly as it is, Duke. And I know you're suffering the same thing. Kira's barely holding on as it is as well!"

Kira looked up to them and sighed lightly. Of course they would bring her into the excuse to rest, but she was a bit more distracted by the fight than the end result. While the Infected had attacked in massive numbers, it wasn't like they really tried to fight the small group. They simply bit, clawed and tackled them. Not once did she see a proper attack, which made her rather suspicious.

As she was thinking, realization hit her, and she turned to look at Swanna and Duke. "We have time to rest, but we should keep our guards up. I don't think those were the only Infected headed towards us. I think they were sent to simply weaken us for someone much more powerful."

"The Infected are much too rash and dumb to make such a play," Duke said as he landed on Lapras' shell, then turning to Swanna. "We've experienced their attacks, and they never plan anything out, right? They always sent a wave and then that was it!"

"You're right, but what Kira says makes sense as well," Swanna responded. "Jamie, I need you to hurry as fast as you can. I'll stay behind and watch for any Infected who are coming in a second wave. They might be evolving."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Jamie asked, looking at Swanna as she started to turn and leave. "I mean, I know it might be dangerous if we don't know about the Infected, but we'll be a lot safer together!"

Kira sighed and stood, only to collapse as massive waves started to slam into Jamie. "We need to stick together, whether there are Infected or not," she said, looking towards where the waves were coming from, which was further out in the ocean. "Much rather, we should keep our defenses up and try to get as much rest possible. We can't fight if we're tired."

"Says the Pokémon who gains energy from the sun," Duke growled as he stretched his wings. "Say, you wouldn't happen to know what's causing those massive waves, would you, Jamie? I haven't seen these kinds of waves since that meteor all that time ago."

"Actually, they're just ships," Swanna said before Jamie could respond. "Lapras aren't the only ways of travel over the oceans, although they are usually the cheapest and most direct methods. That makes Pokémon like Jamie great for travel over shorter stretches of ocean. Boats are really just for tourists and those from, like, thousands of nautical miles away."

"But it's not like any boat I've ever experienced being near," Jamie said as she crested a wave, looking over the horizon for any sign of a boat. "These waves are much too large for a tourist or cruise boat. I think it might be a Pokémon."

"And right you are!" a loud voice chuckled. As the voice fell silent, a large, blue/white, whale-like Pokémon came from the ocean, splashing them all. "Ahoy, children of the land and sky!" A Lycanroc chuckled as he stood on top of the whale. "My name is Sage the Lycanroc, and this is my partner, Harold the Wailord!"

"I know you!" Swanna chirped, flying around and closer to the Lycanroc, which looked like some sort of red/white werewolf that was slouched over. "You're the Pokémon who took on those Infected and came out practically unscathed! What the hell are you doing out here on a Wailord?"

"None of your fucking business," Sage chuckled, sitting and looking at Jamie. "Just heard y'all talking about those Infected who were sent by Skarmory or whoever it was. I was just coming to ask why the hell such a bird would be coming after you."

"It's because of me," Kira said as she stood, taking the chance to shake salt water from her body. "You see, I'm new here. I encountered Skarmory alongside Duke... yesterday? I think it might be coming after me because we beat it down."

"Makes sense," Sage chuckled, flexing his claws. "You also said something about how there might be more coming after your sorry tails. You wouldn't mind if I took them on myself, would ya? Me and Harold could really use the practice for the tournament that's taking place in Treasure Town soon."

"Please, be our guest," Jamie said as she started to swim once more. "We were on our way to Treasure Town anyways, so it'd be great if you could take on those things while we try to catch our breaths."

Sage chuckled and nodded before standing. "Alright then, kiddos. I would ask for payment, but I believe that tournament will more than pay for what I was gonna ask." He chuckled lightly before closing his eyes. "Let's get moving, Harold. Let's fuck some Infected bitches up!"

Harold gave a low bellow before starting to move away from them. Swanna quickly moved from the whale, flying closer to the others in slight confusion. By the time she had landed, Sage and Harold had disappeared from sight.

"That was the oddest encounter I have ever had," she mumbled lightly. "But it was nonetheless exciting! Sage was such an icon back in the day! He's almost as famous as Lucario is! I can't believe I actually met him!"

"Well, at least we won't have to deal with the Infected for a while," Kira told Swanna. "He seemed really... bold. He used some vulgar language as well. I wonder if it's because he's at sea or because he's just got that kind of personality."

"I'm more curious about the tournament he mentioned," Jamie said once their commotion had calmed a bit. "I travel internationally, and yet I've heard nothing about any sort of tournament going down in Treasure Town. I wonder what it'll be like."

"I do too, but I'll never get to go," Swanna said, then noticing as land appeared over the horizon. She then looked towards the sun, which was now getting rather low in the sky. "We don't have much further to go until land. I better head back to Esperanza Village. Audino might be getting worried by now."

Jamie nodded as Swanna then took off and headed back towards town. "You know, I don't know if she forgot or not, but the Infected are headed from that direction. I wonder if she'll fight alongside Sage. That would be a dream-come-true for her."

"Well, even if it is or isn't, it isn't our business anymore," Duke responded as a town became visible. "That over there is Treasure Town. _That_ is where we're headed."

"I can tell," Kira said, unamused as she looked towards the town. She looked around a bit more, then noticing there was even more land to the east. "Are we coming from the north?" she then asked.

"Great observation," Jamie responded. "Heading straight for Treasure Town is impossible for my species. We have to circle around and come from the north, where we'll dock at the beach. It's annoying, but it's the fastest route to the town."

Kira nodded lightly before yawning loudly. While her second day hadn't been as interesting, at least there was a bit of fun in it. She quickly shook it off and looked to the beach where they'd be docking. "Land ho!" she cried out. 'I hope we find a few leads here.'

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 2: Black Flowers. While not as adventurous and entertaining as the last, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	4. Chapter 3: Treasure Town

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

Kira panted heavily as she sat up, a hand over her pounding heart. She found her breathing to be quick and her heartbeat to be even quicker. She hurriedly looked around, expecting to find herself back in Swanna's Café, only to recall she was no longer there. She hadn't been there for the past week or so, but it was always the same troubled dream that made her forget she was here instead of there. She quickly shook her head, taking several deep breaths to slow her heartbeat and breathing.

"Same dream as last night?" a Swoobat asked from above, looking down at her with a faint smile. "I know the feeling you get when you have the same nightmare over and over. Trust me when I say it's hard to let go, but you've been here quite a while now. If you're still struggling to let go, maybe you should go out for a walk or something. That'll help to clear your head."

"Thanks, but you know Duke would never let me out of his bloody sight," Kira said, looking away from the bat-like Pokémon. "Besides, I still don't have a lay for the land. The only things I know are the beach, half the town, and this cave! Where would I go?"

"Take yourself on a tour of the land," Swoobat suggested with a light chuckle. "If Duke wakes and gets worried, don't you worry about him." Swoobat sighed lightly before stretching its wings wide. "You know, the sun's gonna rise any minute now. I think leaving would be best. The sunrise from Sharpedo Bluff is an amazing sight to behold!"

Kira sighed lightly, nodding as she stood and looked out the entrance of the cave. She wasn't used to going anywhere without someone either following or leading her, but Swoobat was right when he said it was probably a great time to get a lay of the land. With a light sigh, she started for the entrance of the cave, then waving to Swoobat as she left.

As Kira slowly slid down the cliff and to the main trail, her thoughts drifted back to the challenge she was given and the Pokémon who had helped her come so far. Audino, according to Jamie whenever she visited, was doing just fine, as to be expected from him. Swanna had returned to her café without trouble, and was back with a booming business like normal. And Sage? She hadn't heard anything about Sage since he had left for the Infected. She was sure he was fine, but she couldn't help but worry.

She shook her head as she followed the dusty trail through the winding and dark forest. The forest itself wasn't really inhabited by Pokémon, but there was the occasional traveler that would cut straight through the forest, often startling her as they stepped on leaves or snapped a stick or something. Kira, on the other hand, preferred to stay on the trail so she didn't get lost. It was just a safety response to her fears of being unable to find a way back, but perhaps that was why Swoobat wanted her to walk around without some sort of guide. It would make sense if he wanted her to get used to the land so she wasn't dependent on others.

"You realize how silly that thought is, right?" she mumbled under her breath, silently chuckling to herself as she continued to walk under the moonlit forest. "Just because he wants you to get a lay of the land doesn't mean he wants you to be independent. He obviously relies on the other Swoobat in that cavern for help, so why would he just send you out?"

As she tried to think, she noticed the ground turn to stone, a sign that she was coming closer to town. She slowed, but she didn't stop. She was curious to see the rest of the town, as she had really only seen several shops at the entrance, but she knew there was more. Hurriedly, she shook off the fear that held her back and pushed herself through and into town. Since it was almost sunrise, most of the shops were still closed, although they were now being set up and opened.

Kira silently walked through town, looking at the wide variety of Pokémon as they set up shop. She noticed two chameleon-like Pokémon setting up a shot full of items, while she also noticed a Chansey, while still half-asleep, caring for several eggs. In all, the town was so diverse, but there was this cold chill about it that she couldn't shake. She wasn't sure what it was, but it felt like there was something going on that she couldn't quite remember.

Silently, she walked around, watching as Pokémon would set up shop, enter or exit the small town, or just come by for a small chat. All through it, that cold shiver never left, crawling on her back like some sort of insect. Shaking off as much as she could, she continued to look around, only to be stopped by a clawed hand on her shoulder.

"Ahoy, Kira," Sage's voice chuckled lightly. "Fancy meeting you here in Treasure Town, but then again, you were headed here anyways from what I recall being told." He chuckled and turned her around, crossing his arms. "You wouldn't happen to be looking for the tournament I told y'all about, huh? I was wondering if you'd enter or chicken out."

"Actually, I was just walking around," Kira explained, looking up at the taller canine. "But now that you mention it, maybe that's what I keep getting this cold shiver down my spine. Do you really think I can enter into such a tournament? I mean, I'm rather weak compared to most Pokémon!"

"This tournament isn't all about strength," Sage laughed, moving into a crouching position. "The tournament is split into three sections. The first section is where the most powerful Pokémon duke it out. The second is the intermediate course where mid-evolutions and others can fight for practice or training. Finally, there's the little league, which is just basic training and all that dung. Personally, I'm aiming for the top, so I'm gonna destroy those pathetic "champion" Pokémon. You? I think your better suited for just the intermediate. I know you're strong, but you have so much further to go before you're on par with a Pokémon like me."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Kira sighed lightly before looking to the sky. It was starting to get brighter, which actually worried her. "Do you think you can bring me along so I can have a go at the tournament? I need something to do while Duke tries to do whatever he's doing."

"I can bring you along, but don't waste my time by losing before the semifinals," Sage laughed. "Cause if you do, I will personally make your life a living hell." He smirked lightly before standing and turning around. "Now let's hurry. The tournament closes in about an hour."

Kira nodded lightly and followed after him, lowering her head as she tried to think. She knew she was supposed to be looking for a lead to Necrozma, but that could wait for a day, right? The first two days here, they had done nothing but research what could have been useful, although they found nothing. Maybe a small break from the worries of the world would allow her to relax and get stronger. If she even wanted to stand a chance against a powerful beast such as Necrozma, she knew she had to be even stronger than she currently was.

Shaking her head, Kira glanced around as they started to walk through a nearby town. She hadn't seen the town before then, but it mostly reminded her of the housing part of Esperanza Village. Then again, they also had shops in that part of town, unlike this place. Kira hurriedly shook the thought off as her shoulder was grabbed by Sage, then looking up to the Lycanroc to notice him smirking.

"I was told the arena wasn't going to be anything special, but goddamn they did a fucking good job," he said, then turning her to look at the massive black stadium that was at the end of the trail. "They did this exact thing last year. Fuck, they're good at hiding the stadium until they need it to be seen."

"That's because they have Pokémon like us working 'round the clock to keep the tournament safe," a Zorua chuckled as she padded up to them. "Howdy! I believe you must be Sage, former champion of the ring. Mister Kiminari has been awaiting your arrival for over a week. Are you signing up now, sir?"

"I am indeed, and so is the Snivy beside me," Sage responded, crossing his arms with a growl. "And you can tell Kiminari to eat ass. That bastard is the reason I lost last year, throwing in those fucking Infected right as I was about knock out Lucario."

"We know," Zorua responded as she turned, starting towards the arena. "I am very sorry about his behavior, but even we have no idea what came over Kiminari during that battle. He just told us to unleash the final enemy, and it's not like we can a-"

"Do I look like I give a shit?" Sage growled, cutting off the pup. "I just want to get into the tournament and screw over those Pokémon again. And tell your boss he can unleash those Infected again. I'm gonna kick their asses again, just like last time."

"With all due respect, he won't listen to me," Zorua mumbled. "I hate to say it, but Kiminari is growing worse and worse every day. Ever since that last tournament, he's grown so much worse. I think... I think he might have been infected by them."

"So they can spread the virus?" Kira suddenly interrupted. "I mean, their names would suggest such a thing, but I wouldn't think it possible. I came across one, and I'm still fine. Does it happen rarely? Or is it something genetic?"

"You ask too many questions," Sage told her. "During battle, it doesn't matter what your opponent can do to hurt you. What matters is if you can last long enough to take them out or if your strong and fast enough to them to pulp before they can even register what you're doing."

Kira nodded and looked away, rubbing the back of her neck. She was so confused, but, well, she had been confused since she had woken in that forest. Every waking moment was spent wondering what was going on and how she would save her world, and yet this is where she was. Maybe following the flow would be the best thing for now. She hurriedly shook her head and looked up. By that time, they were at the entrance to the stadium, which also likely served as the admission.

She fell behind Sage as he moved his claw to motion her to stand where she was out of sight. While she was curious, she trusted that he was doing so to protect her from something. After a moment, a loud thud echoed out, then followed by Sage chuckling and allowing her to move out from behind him. As she did so, she noticed he had his hand raised, which had slammed into some sort of metal wall, which he threw away without any problem.

"If it isn't the big boss himself," Sage chuckled as they managed to get a look at the Pokémon who had likely thrown the metal wall, an Aggron. "It's so great to see you again, Kiminari. How's the wife and kids? Right, forgot they were brutally murdered by that Infected who held a grudge against them. Sorry, not sorry."

"Still the same rude-ass I met thirteen years ago," Kiminari responded. "I thought I told you to stay away and deal with your own life? You aren't welcome here, Sage. I told you that when your title was taken last year. So why don't you go off and bother some other poor unfortunate souls, eh? You're wasting precious time we don't have."

"If I'm not mistaken, sir, there's still half-an-hour until the tournament even begins," Zorua said with her loud and squeaky voice. "I know you two don't exactly have the best relationship, sir, but Sage is a valued member of our community, even if he is a bit offensive. Without him in the tournament, I don't think we'll have enough funds for next year."

"Are you seriously trying to bribe him in with the tournament that _I_ have been putting together for decades?" Kiminari growled. He feel silent for a moment before sighing and crossing his arms. "As much as I hate you, Sage, Zorua brings up a great point. Without you, this tournament really doesn't have a purpose. I guess I could allow you to enter, on the condition that you never mention my wife and child again."

"It wasn't even my fault that happened," Sage responded, taking several minutes to think. "Duke, that Pidgey from Esperanza Village, was their Guardian at the time. Because he failed to warn them, I was thrown into prison. If anyone is to blame, blame him. And if you think you can't, well, he's the one who brought this Snivy here. Now, let us push things to the past and let bygones be bygones. It's great to see you again, Kiminari, even if it won't last very long."

"Are we seriously still talking about this?" Kira yawned as she was mentioned, stretching because she had been straining to watch from behind Sage. "Can we please just get into the tournament before I'm dragged away? I want to participate, and I really don't want Duke to find me before entering."

"Already too late!" Duke screeched as he landed behind her, his feathers all ruffled. "What the hell are you doing out here, Kira?! I thought we agreed to continue looking into you-know-what until we had a lead! Why are you here when we could be trying to save your world?!"

"Calm down," Sage said as he turned and glared at Duke. "I think she deserves a break from such a rough time, Duke. If she wants to participate, then she gets to participate. We're a country of freedom and battling, ya freak. If you can't take that, go back to whatever hole your parents came from."

"Besides, she's already been registered into the tournament, Mister Duke of Esperanza Village!" Zorua laughed, looking up to Kiminari before glancing back at Duke. "And with the tournament about to start, I'm afraid there's nothing we can do to now remove her in time for her to enter the stadium as a viewer. So, as you should have guessed, please go and sit in the stands while the final preparations are completed." She then looked at Sage and nodded. "Please show Kira to her preparation room, Sage. I will come get you when your tournaments begin. We have the beginners to get through, so make sure to get your rest in as well!"

"Thank you," Shade mumbled, then grabbing Kira's hand and leading her away from the three. Once they were far enough away, he let out a breath he had probably been holding since then. "Fuck those three. Well, Zorua's nice, but she's still a weird one. I can't believe Duke is even here, and Kiminari expects me to just pretend his family didn't throw me in jail? I fucking hate them both."

"Well, I can't blame you there," Kira responded, sighing lightly while trying to make sense of all this. "I don't get most of it, probably because we've been talking about it for only fifteen minutes, but I understand that your relationship is on thin ice, right? Man, this is such a weird day. First I wake up and I'm sent to visit the town and tour around, and now I'm here preparing for a tournament which I'm sure I'll lose."

"Don't think so negatively about how these events will take place," Sage said, stopping and glancing behind them before he continued. "If you think negative, negative results _will_ happen. If you want to win, you have to know that you _are_ better than them. You have to think like a winner, not like someone hoping to be a winner."

"For a guy who swears every chance he gets, you're pretty charismatic," she replied jokingly. "But... thank you, Sage. I've usually been the one to keep smiling, even when I was on the brink of death. I guess not much really changes, whether it be life or death or not."

"And I regret telling you anything," Sage then hissed, turning away and continuing on the way that they had been headed. As they neared a large tent, Sage sighed. "Keep your head down, and stay in your room. If someone starts to talk to you, just push them away and slam the door on them. This tournament attracts some unwanted Pokémon, Kira. Some of them even more so than others."

Kira nodded, looking around as Sage pushed open the entrance, allowing them to both enter. The inside of the tent was, as she had expected, split into three portions, which was then split into thirty-two rooms each for the contestants. Kira broke away from Sage, heading towards her own section while he headed for where the experts were at.

It took her quite a while, but she eventually found a room with her name on it. She pushed the door open, finding that the room was nicer than she had thought. The inside was like some sort of nature trail, designed specifically for a Pokémon like her. She walked in, closing the door behind her as she gazed around. For a group of Pokémon who were just getting paid to make other Pokémon brawl, they were rather caring about their contestants. Then again, she was sure that they needed to be to not get sued or stuff like that. She really didn't care, so she left it at that, simply jumping into a nice and bushy tree to relax.

What felt like hours flew by like wind, until Kira eventually heard the door to her room open. She peeked her eye open, noticing a rather familiar Pidgey standing in her doorway. She sighed and jumped down, crossing her arms as she glared at Duke.

"I thought you had to be in the stands?" she asked him with a slightly sassy tone. "Why are you here in my room, Duke? I would have thought that you'd like to avoid me after that little mess that happened at the entrance."

"As much as I hate Sage, I can't risk losing you," Duke said, having ignored her question. "The winner of your section gets a single wish granted to them by Jirachi, who is apparently sponsoring the entire thing during the remainder of the festival, which will begin tomorrow. I want you to win so you can save your world, Kira. I just came to give you luck, kay?"

Kira softened lightly and chuckled, then walking over and hugging him tightly. She heard him squawk in surprise, although he didn't pull away from her. "Thank you for the support, bro," she whispered, closing her eyes and yawning. "But for now, I think I need to rest up. If the battles begin tomorrow, then I really need rest. It isn't even noon and I already need to sleep."

"It's actually almost sunset," Duke laughed as he managed to get out of her grip. "Kiminari had to kind of delay the tournament. Apparently, a thunder storm rolled in, and he doesn't like "unfair" advantages. By tomorrow, the storm will have passed, so that's why it's later than the normal schedule." Duke then began to hop away, looking back at her once with a faint smile. "Don't fail me now, Kira. You've come so far since you've woken up. I believe in you."

As he left, Kira closed the door and headed back to her tree. "He's really nice, but he needs to learn to knock," she said to herself as she used her vines to pull herself in the tree. If it was already sunset, where had the time gone? She shrugged it off. After all, she needed to be ready for tomorrow. Tomorrow was another day.

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 3: Treasure Town. While not as exciting as most the others, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	5. Chapter 4: Tournament of Darkness

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
Update: Due to a small change in plans, this chapter, which was originally supposed to be split in two, has been fused into one. Please, nonetheless, enjoy this chapter. If you wish to see more tournaments, please inform me. Thank you, and enjoy your read._

Kira yawned loudly as she walked across the pitch black ground of the stadium. By now, the sun had risen to its highest point, heating up the world to the point where it was possible to see little heat waves. Kira didn't mind, as it helped her focus a little more on the battle than on the roaring crowd. This would be her first ever opponent, and she felt so excited to be able to fight for both Duke and Sage, as well as herself.

Her first opponent was a blue-furred canine with black ears, two bone-like bumps on the back of its hands, black fur on its legs and torso, and an odd mask that made it look like some sort of bandit. The Pokémon was called Riolu, an Emanation Pokémon according to the referee. It looked rather powerful, especially with that smug look on its face, but Kira knew she could at least put up a fight before stopping. Riolu weren't all that powerful, even if they were given the reputation for being so.

"If both sides are ready, please raise your hands!" the referee, Zorua, cried out, to which they both then did. "Round one of the Intermediate section will take place between Kira of Esperanza Village and Lucas of Fissure Forest. At the sound of the whistle, the battle will begin! Push past your limits and let's see who comes out on top!"

Kira took a deep breath before holding it while waiting for the whistle to sound out. Upon it echoing to her ears, she took off, an explosion following where she had been mere moments before. She had been caught off guard by that, but she knew what it was from. She turned just as a powerful sphere of orange energy flew past her head, barely missing her face.

'He's fast, but he sure has low accuracy,' Kira thought as she started to move in a circle, closing in on Lucas. 'If I take a hit from him, I doubt I'll be able to even get up after it. He's acting so calm, and yet I can tell he's just waiting for something. Nonetheless, what's the point of fighting if you're scared?"

Kira heard a light chuckle before hearing a footstep behind her. She quickly spun, using her right foot to flip herself over as she unleashed Vine whip, which slammed into Lucas' chest and pushed her into the ground. She used them to correct herself, landing on her feet once again. This was an amazing practice round for sure! The adrenaline pumping through her veins gave her a rush she had never experienced before. It was almost like she had been destined to fight!

"You're quite fast for a little snake," Lucas chuckled as he landed, whipping dust off his fur. "But reaction and response time isn't what you'll need if you want to beat me. This battle will go on until one of us is knocked out or surrenders. So, if you want to win, well, just try me."

"That was only just my first attack," Kira reminded him as she stood proudly, smirking lightly as he growled at her boldness. "So, let us continue this song and dance, shall we? I hope you aren't already thinking of quitting."

Lucas smirked before rocketing forward, a silver streak following close behind as he did so. Kira reacted like she had during the Skarmory battle, then jumping up and wrapping her vines around his shoulders. He wasn't as fast, so he wasn't as likely to be hurt as much as she'd have liked, but she then pushed down, forcing him to slam into the ground by the hands of his own attack.

She landed as he stood, chuckling to herself as she noticed rage in his eyes. He had already given away two of his attacks, and here she was just playing with him. Then again, she knew she wouldn't be able to do much against him with her own attacks. She'd have to wear him down by using her own attacks as counters to make him hurt himself. If she could keep that up, he'd eventually give up, hopefully.

Kira shook her head and quickly shot forward, leaning forward before slamming into Lucas before he could properly stand once more. They were both sent to ground, him from her attack and her from some sort of counter-attack he had likely launched at the last second. They both stopped after a moment, then standing and facing each other.

"I've never felt such anger and adrenaline coursing through me, even when my father was pushing me to break my limits!" Lucas snarled, a blue sphere beginning to form in his paws. "Because you're only a Snivy! You're kind are pathetic compared to us! You were wiped out for that reason, and I'll make sure your kind never come back after this!"

Kira sighed and clenched her fist. His anger was reaching her, but she could remain calm through the overwhelming amounts of hatred. "I don't care," she responded as she focused energy into her tail, recalling some training from earlier this morning. "If I were as weak as them, then I would have died before defeating my first Infected. Maybe you should check your facts before you point something out."

Lucas snarled, slamming the spheres between his paws together. There was a moment of hesitation before he threw it at her, rage filling him as she simply side-stepped the attack, which then slammed into the wall. That was the first time his Aura Sphere had missed its intended target, which filled him with even more rage.

Kira knew she couldn't keep playing for very long, then rushed forward. "Watch where you're aiming next time," she whispered under her breath as she appeared beneath him. She dug her foot into the ground, which then allowed her to turn and kick up, slamming her hardened tail into Lucas and sent him straight into the air. "Game over."

Lucas landed with a loud thud. After a few moments, a loud whistle rang throughout the sky, followed by cheers from almost every single Pokémon in the stadium. Kira collapsed to her hands and knees, gasping for air she didn't even realize she had lost. The battle felt like it had last hours, even though it was really only about fifteen minutes at the most. Geez, adrenaline really made time seem to fly by!

As Kira was leaving the arena, she was met by Duke at the exit. She sighed lightly, rubbing the back of her neck before chuckling. "I guess I won my first match!" she began. "I know I shouldn't be bragging, but I feel like I get to because of how fun that was! I'm sorry I dragged you into this mess, Duke. I know you want to go home, but I-"

Duke raised a wing, silencing her with a shake of his head. "I don't want to return to the forest," he told her as he lowered his wing, turning and hopping away. "This is all about you, Kira. I'm just here to make sure you don't die before you save your world. Just... don't lose the next round, okay? You have some time before your next match, so go get your wounds checked." He then left, leaving her both stunned and embarrassed.

"Well, that was an odd chat between two friends," Zorua sighed as she sat beside Kira. "Your battle was a weird one, even I must say. I've never seen Lucas become so angry that he almost knocked himself out. I'm glad you managed to land that Leaf blade before he broke any bones. He's stubborn, but, well, you know how he can react to being angered. By the way, how'd you dodge his Aura sphere? That attack never misses!"

"I... don't even know," Kira responded as she yawned loudly. "Listen, while I'd love to stay and chat with you, I really want to take a nap, Zorua. I have a while until my next battle, so healing up is all I really want to do, apart from taking a small nap anyways."

"Well, you can do those both in your room, young one," Zorua said, standing once more. "I better get back to my post. I expect to see you absolutely shred through this tournament. If you came alongside Sage, then you must be even more powerful than he's admitting. Prove me right, and I might just be able to get you something you might need~"

"... You're still a freaky fox," Kira said before Zorua giggled and headed back to the arena. She let out a loud sigh and headed to the tent where she could relax for a little while. Inside, she was the only one to be there. "Perhaps the others want to watch the rest of the matches," she mumbled as she pushed her way into her room, shaking her head. "Well, might as well rest up. I wonder where that healer or whatever is." 

* * *

The rest of the tournament passed in what seemed like no time at all. Kira defeated Sawyer the Lairon, Akiko the Minun and Akisa the Plusle, and Misimari the Malamar. Each of the battles had been an extremely lucky victory, especially her battle against that teaming Akiko and Akisa. At the moment, she was resting up in the tent, looking at the other Pokémon who had made it to the finals of her section, Nina the Rhydon. Kira knew she stood no chance against the bulkier and tougher Pokémon, but making it this far gave her a reason to suspect she could. Now that she thought about it, they'd been waiting her for quite a while. What was going on out there?

"So you're the newbie everyone's talking about in the stands?" Nina asked; Kira nodded in response. "You know, to see a Snivy competing in this tournament was always a dream of mine, but the year I enter is the year you decide to come out and challenge us. You know, seeing you battle has been enough for me, so I'll fight you with my full strength, Kira. I hope you do the same."

"I'd say I wouldn't try, but I've been putting my full power into each and every fight," Kira responded as she looked at the floor. Each battle had pushed her to her limit, although none of them had been like what Lucas had done to her. "I think Lucas was the one who set that limit to break. Not even my fight against Skarmory pushed me that far."

"Nonetheless, let's hope you don't get knocked out too early in." Nina stood and started to walk away, the ground quaking with her steps. "Why don't we go and watch the free-for-all battle between the Beginners? I heard they wanted to give us a break to rest before the finale, so they brought in the finalists and semi-finalists for an all-out duke."

Nina seemed pretty nice, so Kira nodded as she stood. She silently walked after the much larger Pokémon. While she had to admit that Nina terrified her, as long as they weren't battling, she didn't feel the need to fear her. But pushing that all aside, there was something a bit too familiar about Nina. Kira couldn't quite place her tongue on the familiarity, but she was sure it was probably something from her world. She shook her head and chased after Nina, who had pulled ahead while she was thinking.

At the stadium, Kira and Nina took seats near the exit. From there, she could see why it had taken so long for the Beginners to really even finish the match. There were several teamed Pokémon, including Gastly and Cubchoo, Pikachu and Riolu, Mime Jr. and Deino and Mienfoo, and Oshawott and Vulpix, as well as other solo Pokémon, such as Medicham, Arbok, and Kirlia. The arena had been practically destroyed by the Pokémon still standing, but Kira was unsure of how much longer this would last. Eventually, the Pokémon would need to leave and repairs would have to be made.

Kira shook her head and sighed lightly, leaning back to watch the battle alongside Nina. The battle itself reminded her of her battle against Lucas, although there were a lot more explosions and destructive waves of attacks. She thought she would have really only seen this during the higher rank matches, but it did seem likely this would happen with so many Pokémon on the field.

Kira suddenly shot up as the loudest explosion she had heard that day sounded out. Screams erupted as Pokémon began to rush from the seats and to the exit, some flying or digging their way out in an odd rush of fear. Kira stood and looked to the arena were a cloud of dust was beginning to thin. Her eyes widened as she saw silver wings through the dust, panic gripping her heart as she recognized the distinct look of those wings.

"PATHETIC!" a voice screamed as the dust was blown away in a flurry of wind. "I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT TO FIND SOME SORT OF RESISTANCE HERE, AND YET THIS IS WHAT I GET?! SQUAWK!"

Kira growled and used her vines to lift and pull herself into the stadium. She glared at the Skarmory before standing and chuckling. "So you're still looking for a challenge, huh, Skarmory? Well, here I am. Come and get me!" Kira smirked as she stood, ready for battle against the bird once more.

"You're still alive," it growled as it turned and faced her, spreading its wings wide. "I had thought that little storm I had sent after you would have been enough, but I guess not. Oh well. I might as well finish the job here."

Kira was a little worried by how calm it was, but she couldn't panic now out of all times. As Skarmory rocketed at her, she jumped up as she had during their last fight. She spun quickly, slamming her tail into Skarmory's head and knocking it to the ground. If it was expecting her to fight the same way she had a week ago, then it was badly mistaken.

As she landed, it stood and glared at her. "You're learning," it pointed out, screeching to the sky. "That's good. It makes my duty of turning you against all these PATHETIC Pokémon easier!" It screeched again before rocketing at her at a speed that almost shattered the sound barrier.

Kira barely had time to react, using her vines to grab its wings as it slammed into her. She screamed in pain, knowing it had broken more bones than last time. She dug her feet into the ground before using her vines to flip them over which slammed Skarmory and her into the ground at a speed almost as fast as sound.

"You're stronger than last time," Skarmory groaned, slowly standing as Kira pushed herself to her feet. "I was just holding back when we first met, but I get the feeling that letting loose will be so much more fun than turning to over to the Dark One."

"You'll have to kill me first," Kira groaned, only to collapse to her knees as pain coursed through her. Even the adrenaline in her veins wasn't enough to force the pain away, but she knew she could still fight. "Why do you do this, Skarmory? Why allow this Dark One to control you? Don't you like free will?"

Skarmory froze, a distinct look of fear shining through its eyes. Hurriedly, it shook its head, trying to throw away the thought that was distracting it. Using that as a distraction, Kira shot forward, her fist becoming encased in green as she punched Skarmory back; she could feel her strength come back as Skarmory skid across the ground.

"Mega drain," she pointed out, shaking her hand as bit of pain coursed through her. "While usually a special attack, Sage taught me how to alternate between physical and special moves. I wasn't really one for physical contact, but my move-set and stats push me to be more physical."

"Since when has that ever mattered?" a familiar voice chuckled behind her. She hurriedly turned, only to be knocked flying as someone punched her. "Your reaction time gets slower when you're talking, doesn't it? Well, might as well keep you talking."

As Kira landed, she used her vines to push herself to her feet and glare at the Pokémon that had teamed up with Skarmory. "Lucas!" she cried out in shock as she recognized the Riolu, only to notice a red aura around him. "So, you're an Infected as well, huh? Too bad that I now have to kick your butt alongside Skarmory's. I was hoping we could be friends."

Lucas chuckled as Skarmory landed beside him. Kira could tell that something here was off, but she didn't let that bother her. The two shot forward at breakneck paces, to which Kira then sighed.

To Kira, it felt like time had frozen. She took a deep breath as the heat of the moment came to her. She could feel her body pushing itself to heal from the previous hits, but also to prepare itself for the next attack. However, Kira knew what she had to do. Whether she liked it or not, it was her only shot.

"I'm sorry," she told herself as she jumped up. She glanced at them once before her vines shot forward, pushing their necks and slamming them into the ground. A sickening crunch from both Pokémon sounded out as they hit. "Arceus, don't make me do this again. I'm already in too far. I don't want to like this."

Kira landed with a thud, hitting the ground due to her failure to really care about hurting herself or not. Lucas and Skarmory didn't stand again, and the sound of footsteps slowly reached her ears. Kira sat up as a shadow stood over her. She turned and looked at Kiminari, tears forming at the edges of her eyes.

"There was nothing you could do otherwise," he reminded her as he walked past, looking at the bodies that had once been breathing. "Infected can pass on their powers through an exchange of blood or DNA. Lucas has been acting strange since last year, as well. I should have seen this coming when he exchanged attacks with Lairon... I'm sorry."

Kira slowly stood, wiping away her tears before she shook her head. "It's my fault as well. I didn't alert you that Lucas was acting violent beyond normal. I was told that he was just stubborn, and I thought that was what had happened to him. It's my fault this happened! It's no one else's."

"Actually, you shouldn't put the blame on anyone but this Dark One," Duke screeched as he hopped over to them. "I heard what Skarmory told you, Kira. I have reason to suspect that the Dark One is the one we're chasing down!"

"Necrozma?" Kira laughed lightly, only to flinch as the aftermath of the battle reached her. "C-can we talk about this later, please? My body hurts beyond hell at the moment. I think I might lose my insides if we keep talking about all this stuff."

Duke nodded, setting a wing on her back as her body began to heal at an exceptional rate, filling her with pain, but also the feeling that she would be just fine. The battle still rung in her ears, and the faint looks of glee as the two Pokémon had lunged at her filled her with terror. She wondered what other Pokémon around her were possibly Infected, but she didn't let that bother her for long. As much as she wanted to focus on them, her mind told her to focus on healing, which she eventually began to do.

After several hours of rest and conversation, the tournament was up and running again. The crowd had been severely thinned out, mainly due to the attack, but at least the stadium was filled with over half the Pokémon that had been there before. It wasn't loud, nor was it very special, but to see that some Pokémon had gotten over the attack rather quickly made Kira feel that interfering with the two Infected had been rather worth it.

At the moment, Kira was awaiting the arrival of Nina, who had taken off as soon as Skarmory had made its appearance. Kira hadn't known that Nina would be so scared of the bird, but she was sure Nina had her reasons. Shaking her head, Kira yawned and stretched widely, listening to the familiar chirps of bird Pokémon and the excited chatter of the crowd above her. It was pleasing to hear, and she hope Nina would agree.

As Nina stepped onto the field, the roar of the crowd became louder than before, echoing to the sky in a fashion Kira could only describe as energetic. The two walked up to each other, shaking hands before chuckling lightly to each other.

"Just because you defeated those two without any problem is no reason for you to hold back against me," Nina said, fear evident in her voice. "In fact, it means you should only try harder to win. I won't be holding back just because of what you did."

"I agree," Kira responded as she pulled her hand away, clenching her fist. "I expect the best from you, Nina. You made it this far, so give me a reason to continue training on the journey that I've been pushed through."

Nina nodded in response, before they then moved their separate directions to the opposite side of the field. Kira could hear the chants of the Pokémon telling her to fight and give them a show, and that was what she was going to give them. As much as she was happy with where she was, this was no reason to hold back and lose it all. She had to do this for herself. For Duke. For her world.

A whistle sounded out, signaling the beginning of the battle. Kira took off as quick as she could, which, while slower than Skarmory, was rather quick for a Pokémon like her. She reached Nina in an instant, turning and slamming her hardened tail into the Rhydon before using the force being pushed back (Newton's Third Law) to kick herself away before Nina could get a hit in.

"You're fast," Nina chuckled, seemingly unfazed by the attack. "I wish you would try harder, Kira. I know you can do so much more when you put your back into it!" Nina growled and slammed her fist into the ground, stones quickly rocketing up and towards Kira. "Stone Edge!"

Kira yipped as the stones slammed into her, sending her high into the air. She looked down, panicking as she realized she was well above the stadium by this point. Rhydon's attack, while it hadn't broken any of her bones, had been incredibly powerful! She could barely get any air due to having been winded by the single stone that hit her.

"Well, here goes nothing," Kira whispered as she began to fall back to the ground. She felt as her tail hardened once more, before looking down and noticing the ground. "Meteor strike!" she screamed as she turned, slamming her tail into the ground right before she hit.

Kira could feel as the ground suddenly caved in, forming a large crater around where she had landed. Most of the stadium had been brought into the crater, but at least the stands were completely untouched by the attack. She slowly stood, looking up to Nina, who had been thrown off-balance by the sudden change in environment.

"How was that?" Kira chuckled, catching her breath from the attack and fall. It had taken quite a lot from her, even if it wasn't a normal attack. "Your attacks can be used against you, Nina. I just want you to know I have enough strength to keep doing this over and over and over."

Nina chuckled lightly as she finally got a foothold. She slammed her foot into the ground, which sent shockwaves through the ground, making Kira stumble. "Yeah, I know you can, Kira. I was hoping you wouldn't fall from one of my weaker attacks, so I guess I can go all-out without hurting you too much."

Kira looked at her confused before she noticed the drill on Nina's head beginning to spin. She had a faint idea of what that would do to her, and she was more than terrified of being struck by such an attack. Nina then began to charge, lowering her head to slam into Kira.

"I won't allow it," Kira whispered as she quickly jumped, a tactic she was getting used to. "I may not be able to do to you what I did to the Infected, but I can more than knock you out with this." Her vines suddenly reached out, grabbing Nina's shoulders before Kira used them to drag herself on top of Nina. "Leaf blade," she whispered slamming down onto Nina with a force she had experienced only once before.

As Kira hit the ground, she was aware of one thing: darkness. Her vision had grown dark, and her body was struggling to even move. She could feel the earth shaking, and slowly closed her eyes. She felt as she was picked up, only to then hit the ground again as whoever was holding her sighed.

"I thought you'd have put up more of a fight, but I see now you're more dependent on your opponent being faster than you," Nina's voice echoed as the crowd began to cheer. "You put up a cute struggle, but it was nonetheless futile. But don't worry. Be proud you even put up a fight against a champion of the highest level."

Kira slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Nina, who was waving to the crowd in pride. Kira knew she stood no chance, but it hurt her pride to hear that her fight was useless. She forced herself to her feet, even through the excruciating pain it took to move. She noticed Nina looking at her, to which she then chuckled.

"It's not over until I black out," Kira growled as she clenched her fist. "It doesn't matter what you say or do. I'm gonna beat you straight to Hell! And whether you think I can or can't, I'll show you I'm no pushover!"

Nina looked at Kira worried before then being sent flying as Kira spun and slammed her tail into the Rhydon's chest. Both of them flinched as they came to a stop, glaring at each other in anger. They suddenly shot at each other, only for Kira to appear behind Nina and slam her into the ground. She could feel rage and energy coursing through her, pushing her well beyond the limits she had when she was above this state.

 _"Ability: Overgrow," Sage had told her before the tournament had begun. "When your hit-points are low, your body will do whatever it must to get you out of that situation alive, even if it hurts you. Just be glad you're so young. The more you use it, the more you'll learn to control it. Just be careful, okay? You may be more powerful, but you're still low on how many hits you can hit."_

Kira raised her head and clenched her fist. "Even if I'm low on hit-points, I have an attack that I can use to recover it. Mega drain!" She punched Nina as hard as she could, which sent them both flying away from each other.

Kira gasped as she regained her senses, rolling on the ground and pushing herself to her feet hurriedly. She could hear gasps of shock coming from the crowd, but Kira wasn't exactly sure why. She then saw Nina lying in the crater, unmoving. Kira felt fear course through her, up until the point that Nina had clenched her fist and forced herself up.

Kira, having expected another attack, tensed to continue the battle, only to notice Nina was dazed. Nina raised a hand before she then collapsed, falling unconscious in front of the shocked crowd of Pokémon.

"And that's it!" Kiminari cried out, shock and fear gripping his voice. "Nina is no longer able to battle, meaning that Kira has taken the crown for the Intermediate section of out tournament! Everyone, let's hear it for our new champion!"

Kira panted heavily as cries rang out from the Pokémon around her. She smiled faintly before she collapsed to the ground, holding a hand over her gut. She felt sick to her stomach from the victory, but she knew it wasn't her fault that it had happened. Nina had gotten cocky before making sure Kira was unconscious, which allowed her to get the chance to win. Then again, how had she even been knocked back? She shook her head as she felt a familiar arm around her waist.

"You did it!" Sage cried out as he spun, shaking quite a lot out of her. "You managed to defeat Nina and take the crown, Kira! That's amazing to see from a beginner!" He laughed happily before he raised her up. "You fucked her up real good, ya see?"

"Thanks, Sage," she chuckled as she looked down at him and the few Pokémon who had come down to congratulate her. She then felt as Sage set her down, rubbing her head once more. "It's only because of you that I managed to even create a strategy to defeat her. And I guess it's because she got cocky that I managed to even knock her down. She gets really prideful with the opponent on the ground."

"Well, she is the leader of Team Ex," Kiminari said as he focused on her. "She and her team absolutely obliterated in the team battles last year, and she often participates in the Intermediate Tournament to find suitable Pokémon for her team. However, with how you kicked her down, I think she might make you a rival to beat instead of a teammate. With that said, it's time for you to receive your prize: a wish from our very special guest, Jirachi."

 _"Is it really that time again?"_ a voice yawned within their heads. _"I know it's your annual tournament and all, but why must I leave Star Cave just to answer the few wishes of a couple lucky Pokémon. None of them ask for anything special, anyways. Just stuff about being famous and rich and junk."_

"I hate how that's immediately assumed about someone who's world is gonna die if she doesn't find the Pokémon responsible for taking away its life," Kira mumbled under her breath, knowing that the Pokémon that had been in her head had heard her. "I mean, seriously! I'm trying to save a world here and you're assuming that kind of stuff!"

 _"I don't like your attitude!"_ A puff of smoke obscured their vision as Jirachi, a star-shaped Pokémon with a yellow/white body and odd tags hanging from each of the points, appeared. _"I can tell you aren't lying, but did you really have to say it like that, Kira? You're just lucky you won that match!"_

"Or so I've been thinking to myself," Kira responded, rubbing the back of her head. "Sorry about insulting you, Jirachi, but you just assumed that wanted to make a wish about money or something. All I want is to know where to find Necrozma - _my_ Necrozma - and have time to fight him to save my world."

Everyone fell silent as she stopped talking. Kira knew this would happen, and yet she had said it anyways. She lowered her head in shame, holding it in her hands so to avoid the gaze of the many Pokémon around her. She knew she was making a mistake the moment she had said anything about it to Jirachi, but she hadn't expected it to lead to this of all things.

After a long moment of silence, Jirachi moved forward and placed a hand upon Kira's head. _"While I may not be able to directly grant your wish, I will give you the knowledge of the one who stole away your light. Necrozma, a Pokémon who can steal light and bend it to his will, resides upon the tallest tower in the Hall of Legendries. To reach him, you will have to battle your way through the zones of Steel, Ghost, and Psychic Pokémon. Only upon defeating them will you be able to reach him. He is waiting, keeping your world in unending stasis until you arrive, so be sure you are ready to face him before challenging his full strength. You will find more upon your journey ahead, but for now, that is all I can tell you. Kira, save your world, even if you don't want to return home."_

Kira pulled away as Jirachi stopped speaking, finding her breathing to be heavy and her heartbeat to be quick. It was like a rush of adrenaline rocking her body, but she knew there was no adrenaline pumping through her. As she calmed down, she looked up and nodded happily.

"Thank you, Jirachi," Kira whispered, joy filling her as she knew her world would survive through her journey to find Necrozma. "I'm grateful that everyone's pulled me this far to help save my world. And then there's you, Jirachi. Sorry about insulting you, anyways."

 _"You've already said it too many times,"_ Jirachi mumbled, yawning loudly as it moved away from her. _"Now, if you excuse me, I must take a very long nap while the last of those Expert Pokémon take on this tournament. In the meantime, you should probably go and rest. You're barely standing, even if your body heals faster than any Snivy I've ever seen before."_ Jirachi then disappeared into a puff of smoke, once again leaving them.

Kira sighed lightly as the Wish-maker Pokémon disappeared, then looked around to the Pokémon still staring at her. In a state of panic and fear, she turned and rushed away from them. She had been trying only to tell those who she trusted about her mission, but now everyone in Treasure Town knew her goal. She wondered where this would lead from here, but she badly didn't want to find out about it.

As Kira came to a stop, she became aware of where she had retreated to. She was on the edge of Sharpedo Bluff, a location well known for its view and odd shape. She sighed lightly and sat down, looking down at the water in shame for herself. As much as she wished she could tell them all that she hadn't meant it, lying just wasn't her style. She hurriedly shook her head and fell back, groaning loudly as she tried to think.

"You know, making sounds won't really help your cause for hiding," Sage chuckled as he walked up behind her. "I'm sorry that everyone had to hear that, especially since I know how hard you were trying to hide that from everyone. But, hey, it'll pass eventually. We had an Exploration Team from here not too long ago that defeated Dialga and Darkrai to save us, so it won't be too farfetched for them to believe you and want to help you." He looked down at her, then noticing tears. "Don't start crying now, Kira. We want to save as many people as possible in our lifetimes as well, ya know. We're just helping."

"I don't want your help!" Kira snapped, wiping away the tears and sitting up. "I want to save my world and smile knowing I did it with those I know and trust, Sage! I don't want the help of some random Pokémon I know next to nothing about! Why can't you see that, Sage? I don't need your help!"

Sage sighed lightly and moved away, turning and starting to walk away. Before he got out of earshot, he turned and looked at her. "You think you know so much about Pokémon, but you're just like the rest of us, Kira. Eventually, you'll find that even you need the help of the occasional passerby or stranger. That's how Duke started, right? That's how Swanna and that Lapras started, right? We're all strangers until you open up, Kira. You must understand that if you're ever gonna win a fight against anyone stronger than you."

"Screw you," Kira whispered, closing her eyes and wiping away even more tears. She didn't want to believe such things, even if they were true. She had managed to win her fights alone so far, so why couldn't she do so in the future. "Besides, it wasn't like I had much of a choice. I was scared, and he was the only one there for me. You'll never understand fear, Sage. You're so powerful, so what have you got to fear?"

No one responded to her question, which she knew would happen. She watched the waves of the ocean as they continued to slam into the wall. She knew she was being irrational, but she didn't care. She just wanted to be alone, alone to fight the one she had been sent to find and defeat. She lowered her head and glanced over the edge. Terror gripped her, but she couldn't let it hold her back. For now, she had to fight her way to the top. Perhaps there was a dojo somewhere in town; she could use the practice.

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 4: Tournament of Darkness. I hope this chapter will fill in for the excitement the last few left out. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	6. Chapter 5: Training

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

For that entire day and even further into the next, Kira did nothing but train at Marowak's Dojo. Sage, Duke, Nina, and Kiminari had come to tell her to stop or try to bring her back, but she was determined to grow better than any Pokémon who had ever faced her. The dojo's leader, Marowak, had agreed with her training, even if they both knew the amounts of stress it would put on her mind and body. Even then, Kira trained like it was the last day of her life.

Kira growled as she slammed her tail into the dummy she had been practicing with for the past hour. On impact, the straw figure snapped in half, even though Kira wasn't really attacking it. Her eyes were filled with rage, a sign that her Overgrow had kicked in and gave her much more strength than normal. Even if she had wanted to stop, in this state of mind, she would fight until she had either died or the enemy was in bits. However, she didn't last much longer, eventually collapsing due to exhaustion.

"Taking a break is a good thing for your body," Marowak said, throwing her an Oran Berry as he balanced on the top of his bone. "You have been training nonstop for almost half the day and through the entirety of last night, dear apprentice. For what battle are you preparing for that would require so much of your body?"

"A battle that decides the fate of an entire world and my sanity," Kira responded, grabbing the berry and biting into it. As much as it felt amazing to finally eat, Kira knew that this was slowing her down. "I don't want to lose against Necrozma and lose my world with it. I don't want to have to live knowing I failed to save billions of Pokémon and humans."

"You worry on what you shouldn't be," Marowak then told her, opening his eyes. "You say you wish to win this fight, and yet you are pushing your body beyond the limits of what it can handle. You may be as powerful as some of the higher level Pokémon in the dungeons, but you will only grow stronger as you train your mind and find your style for battle. You must prepare yourself for this fight against Necrozma rather than train nonstop and kill yourself in the process. You understand, apprentice?"

"I understand as much as I care, which means I don't understand at all!" Kira groaned loudly and stood up. "Necrozma is one of the most powerful Pokémon in the world! How will I beat him if I'm not on par with a Pokémon of his strength? How will I even make it to him if I can't fight those beneath him!"

"And this is where I bring up the tournament to you." Marowak jumped off his bone, grabbing it and slamming it into her waist, watching as she keeled over in pain. "You beat Nina, who was almost on par with the likes of Sage, Lucario, and Kiminari himself. If you beat her, then you can beat anyone. You tell yourself the only way to become better is to train. While it may seem that way, strategy is an important factor of battle as well. You have friends out there, Kira. You must fight alongside them, not against them."

"What are you trying to tell me, Marowak?" Kira groaned, forcing herself to stand, even through the familiar pain. "Are you telling me to make up with my friends? Are you telling me to quit becoming stronger and instead think of the fight as a match in chess, huh? Is that what you're telling me to do?"

"I'm telling you to rest and get your friends together before you end up killing yourself," Marowak stepped away from her, holding his bone behind his back. "There was once a Pokémon so stubborn that he trained for months and months, only to lose every battle he every challenged. In the end, it was because he gave up on thinking ahead, and instead rushed head-first into traps set by the others. If you continue on this path, you will end up like him. One day, you will be lying six feet under, your world destroyed because you failed to trust your friends. I agreed to train you, not to get you killed. Now, leave my dojo, Kira. We will continue practice next week, if you live that long."

Kira sighed lightly before she rushed out of the dojo. As the sun hit her, she flinched, only then realizing what she had been depriving herself of. The town was as lively as ever, but to Kira, it felt like it was dead. All the Pokémon around her looked so joyful, but then there she was to drag the entire feeling down on her own. She hated to feel like this, and so she rushed away, looking for any sign of Duke or Sage or anyone who she could talk to. She went to find the area where the tournament had once taken place, but it was already gone. There was no one nearby who she could trust enough to talk to. At least, that's what she was sure of.

As she was walking down an odd trail to the beach, a rock hit her from behind. She turned, but no one was there. Shaking her head, she continued down the trail, only for the rocks to hit her in the back once more. She growled, turning and slamming her vines into an invisible force, who then cried out and dropped the invisible cloak.

"That really hurt!" Zorua chuckled, gritting her teeth as she looked up at Kira, a paw on her gut. "You know, Marowak did a good job in teaching you how to fight, but he sure didn't teach you any manners in how to see through simple tricks like illusions. He does his part well, but he's useless otherwise."

Kira glared at Zorua before she started back down the trail. "If you wanted manners, why did you use an illusion to sneak up on me?" Kira mumbled under her breath. She wanted to talk to Duke or Sage, not Zorua. "Besides, the tournament's over, isn't it? Why are you still around?"

"I'm still around because Duke hired me to keep an eye on you and make sure you didn't push yourself over the edge," Zorua responded, chasing her down to the sandy shore. "You know, he's really worried about you, Kira. He went back to Esperanza Village just so he could do research on those zones that you need to battle. He's doing all he can for you, Kira. You need to do stuff to help him as well."

"And what could I do to help that little bird?" Kira mumbled as she sat in the sand, crossing her arms in defiance. "I haven't even been in this world for a whole month, and I'm still being pressured to save the world I came from, Zorua! I just want to be able to relax and live a normal life for even a day! I have no idea who I am, or what I used to be! All I know is my name and goal! I just want to relax!"

"And that's what we all want you to do," Zorua growled, shaking her head. "Kira, Duke went alone because he wants you to catch up on sleep and not have to worry about research. Sage is preparing a travel bag so you don't have to stress over what to bring. Kira, all of your friends want to help you. Because of them, all us normal Pokémon will be going along with our normal lives. Kira, you need to help them by not stressing. Go ahead and take a nap or walk around town, Kira. Just do something that'll take your mind off your world and drag it into this one. You heard what Jirachi had to say about your world and that stasis it's in."

Kira looked down at the ground, ashamed of herself. Here she was trying to become stronger because she thought everyone wanted her to be, only to find out they were wanting to help her. She barely knew them all that well, and they were actually helping her save an entire world. A rush of emotions came up all at once: confusion, fear, anger, sadness, worry. She hurriedly stood and hugged Zorua, almost crushing the small fox with her tight hug.

"Thank you so much!" she cried out, holding the fox as tight as she possibly could. "I should have seen it earlier, but the stress of the tournament and fear of my world being destroyed made me forget who I was! I'm so, so sorry about all that shouting, Zorua! I'll try to not let it happen again!"

"In actuality, I don't care what you act like, so long as you don't kill anyone!" Zorua groaned, then kicking Kira until she had finally been released. Upon landing, she gasped for air. "You sure are powerful. You know, you might as well go and get some mental training. Necrozma's a Pokémon who uses psychic powers. It'd be a good idea to get some training against that kind of Pokémon."

"Thanks for pointing out that I was distracted by my anger and hate," Kira mumbled. Well, at least she had the time now. She had been so focused and worried on her world that she had failed to realize that sometimes taking it easy was what was best. "If there's any way I can pay you back, just tell me, Zorua. I don't have much, but... I'll try."

"I have an idea for how you could repay me, but I'll ask for that favor once we've saved your world from an almost certain doom." They both laughed before Zorua started to pad away. "To the west of here, there is a place called Mount Travail. At the peak, a Pokémon named Xatu now resides, training any who make it to him. Just tell him you need some training against a psychic-type. Also, tell him I said hi!"

Kira sighed lightly before shaking her head and looking over the horizon. "Well, thank you, Zorua." She smiled faintly before a wave of nausea hit her once more. "Zorua? Do you ever get the feeling that what you're doing has no purpose and that everything around you is just an illusion?"

"I _am_ an illusionary fox," Zorua responded, turning for one last glace at Kira. "It's my duty to make illusions and hide what no one should ever see. So, I guess you could say my life is nothing but an illusion of lies and trickery." With a light chuckle, she then left.

Kira sighed lightly before she started up the trail. She had been told to rest, but then Zorua went and changed her mind to tell Kira to find some Pokémon known as Xatu resting on the top of some sort of mountain. Well, it wasn't the worst possible thing, especially since Kira could actually use a bit more training. She knew she was more than physically capable of destroying enemies, but as Marowak had told her, strategy was one of the most important skills any Pokémon could have. Perhaps mentality was also one of those, but how could she balance all three at once? It seemed unlikely, but it was just like life. You eat, sleep, work, and then there's all the extra stuff. Kira knew the feeling of being pushed to work beyond her mind, and even keeping herself from sleep, upsetting the balance of her own life force. Soon enough, she'd have to drag herself back into that balance, just as she'd have to keep pushing and becoming stronger in the balance of her fighting style. Sooner or later, she, along with those she had made as friends, would have to come together and trust each other more than ever; however, she knew it wouldn't be for a long time that she would have to worry about that. For now, it was all about training the balance of battle, not life.

Kira hurriedly let the thought drift away and continued down the trail. She knew she was being distracted, but for some reason, she just allowed it to happen. Her heart felt light, and she felt much better than she had only hours ago. As much as exhaustion dragged her down, she was rather excited to learn to fight Necrozma. Perhaps she could stay here and learn to fight a lot more, but then again...

"One day, I have to return to my home," she mumbled to herself as she followed trails and signs to wherever Mount Travail was. "Well, I guess I'm still technically taking both bits of Zorua's advice at once. I'm taking a peaceful walk while going to get some training. I wonder how many other Pokémon out there do this. I hope it's not too many. I kind of want to feel special." Kira chuckled lightly and held a hand to her heart. "But then again, I really am an odd case, huh? Not even a month in and I'm already proving myself to be one of the most powerful Pokémon here. I wonder if it's because of what I was before all this... I'm not sure, so let's not get our hopes up."

With a quick shake of her head, Kira took down a dirt trail. She had seen a sign that pointed it towards Mount Travail, which she could see even from this distance. The mountain, while not as high as she had expected, was quite visible compared to the surrounding forests and hills. It looked like it was one of the only mountains around, although it quite obviously wasn't. Well, Kira knew that she was headed there anyways, so why not let the scenery distract her?

As she was running, a dizzy spell washed over her, causing her to stumble and slam into the ground. She groaned as she forced herself to her feet, rubbing her head like she had run into a wall. As she was trying to clear her head, the dizziness came back, although even rougher than before. Was this perhaps being caused by her lack of sleep or eating? She couldn't tell, but she sure didn't want to collapse right here. That was when she noticed the black flower in front of her. It was like the ones she had seen right before leaving Esperanza Village.

 _"So you think you can just run and run and take your time coming to face me, huh?"_ a familiar voice growled within her head. _"While that filthy Wish-maker is right about your world's stasis, I don't think you'll find it so easy to just train and beat me. Kira, I know I said this was a challenge, but don't take all the time you want. I get bored, too, and when I am, I like to throw a couple of contenders into the ring. Now, if you excuse me, I must be going. Don't be late to Mount Travail, rat."_

Kira gasped for air as the vision faded away without a word from her. The first time that vision had occurred, she hadn't exactly been ready, but it was only getting worse and worse for her. She hurriedly shook her head and pushed herself onwards towards Mount Travail. She was rather worried about who Necrozma would throw in the ring, but she was sure that whatever it was she could face it head-on. She wasn't scared of the legendry, even if he was so much more powerful than her. In all, that just gave her a reason to push beyond her limits even more!

As Kira continued to rush down the trail, the familiar sounds of footsteps reached her ears. She looked around quickly before then stopping. It hadn't even been five minutes since that vision, and whatever Pokémon had been sent after her was already here. At least, that was the feeling she got from the footsteps. Seriously, what other Pokémon would know she was here? She was sure she wasn't on some other Pokémon's territory, and she was sure no one had followed her. Maybe Necrozma's little servant was a bit early to the party or something?

After about ten minutes of waiting there, she continued on the trail until she reached the base of the mountain. From there, she entered the cave-like entrance and started up the mountain in some sort of winding, maze-like tunnel. It was rather fun, but it was also confusing and sickening. She soon reached a place where she could stop.

As she tried to catch her breath, the faint sound of footsteps echoed around her once more. Instantly, Kira was on guard, only to relax as she realized that the footsteps had come from far below her current location. While she couldn't exactly tell where they were from or where they were headed, she was sure that the Pokémon probably wasn't chasing her or anything. Perhaps it had just come here to take shelter for a while.

Kira sat there for a long while before she continued her climb of the mountain. The climb itself wasn't difficult, even though she came across many Pokémon who were more than capable of defeating her if they tried. However, thanks to her training and the strategy she was more than getting used to, she eventually reached the top, half-way out of breath and exhaustion almost knocking her out alongside hunger.

"Arrive, you have done. Training, begin soon," a Pokémon from outside of her darkening vision said. "Rest easy for now, danger grows close. Darkness spreading, the battle approaches. Beginning will be ending, but ending only beginning."

'I probably should have expected as much,' Kira thought as she tried to catch her breath. This Pokémon, as much as she probably hated to say it, was probably her only chance to regain balance. "Thank you for not asking questions, Xatu, but I don't need any rest." She tried to push herself to her feet, but failed miserably. "Okay, maybe I do."

"It is best," the Pokémon responded, moving front of her as she began to black out. The strange-looking bird didn't cast a glance at her as he stared over the edge of the mountain. "Soon, you will see the darkness in its whole. And soon, the world will be exposed to the red aura's full strength. You, Kira, are the only one standing between it. For the next week, you will train to survive on little and nothing. Your training will begin at midnight." 

* * *

"So this is the mysterious dungeon you needed to investigate with me?" Sage sighed as he looked down at Duke, who was shivering. "Why didn't you just ask one of your friends to come alongside you? I have better things to do than deal with your shit, Duke."

"Sage, you know this cave better than anyone," Duke responded as he began to hop forward. "You've entered this dungeon hundreds of times before, and I'm counting on you to bring me to the location where you saw the markings of Necrozma."

"You're such a stubborn bitch, ya know that?" Sage shrugged before he started into the cave. "Just keep behind me and look only at the floor. If you get lost, head back to the entrance and wait for me to give a shit about you not being behind me. Otherwise, you might as well just leave."

"You know I can't leave." Duke chuckled and followed close by, glancing at the floor but also keeping his eyes on Sage. "Sage? Do you know why Zorua sent Kira to Xatu even after all she's been put through? He's simply going to starve her and drive her to the brink of insanity."

"I'd say I care, but I don't," Sage responded. "All you need to know is that Xatu is very experienced in the field of reading the past and future. Kira will be in the best of hands, even if she is starved to an almost-dead state. Just don't worry and everything will be fine. Also, I say that so we can pretend like we were looking for her. I don't want her to think we know about anything."

The two fell silent as they continued to walk through the darkening cave. Once neither could see, Sage lit a torch that he had made from some items they had found on the floor, which was a miracle to them both. As they continued, the walls began to become covered in symbols and markings, but none of them were what they were looking for.

"We are nearly there," Sage said as the symbols started to grow even less frequent, right up until they were almost non-existent. "Years ago, these caves were filled with hundreds of Pokémon. However, with the rise of the Dark One, every Pokémon who had once believed in the future was slaughtered mercilessly. These paintings are their last, from over a hundred years ago. And to think that the prophecy of Necrozma only rose twenty years ago. I guess Pokémon really are mysterious beings, huh?"

Duke simply nodded in response, glancing at the symbols that soon gave way to markings, which became to pictures of a creature that few knew about: Necrozma. A cold chill suddenly washed over them, but neither reacted as they closed in on their destination. Within the minute, they had stopped and were now analyzing a picture of an odd Necrozma facing against a human-shaped form and Snivy.

"Kira," Sage whispered as he read the symbols above and below the picture. "A human from a region far-off will be summoned to save us from the one driving the madness upon the beings, but also do so as they are driven by the thing that they held closest the most. When they are called, the red aura will burst from their body, and upon their realization, they will call upon the forbidden calling, destroying all that anyone has known. We hope we are wrong, but it seems this is the end of our world."

"The end of the world as depicted by Xatu over thirty years ago," Duke whispered as he lowered his head. "In order to save her own world, Kira would have to sacrifice the light of another she had been to, right? If that's what this thing is saying, then what do we do?"

Sage was silent for a moment, only to then let out light chuckles. "Allow this pathetic world to die," he said after a while. "It isn't like we can change the future, Duke. Besides, you must remember that this wasn't that long ago. For all we know, this could all be a new code or that the person was rushed and just tried to say that nothing mattered to whoever was chasing them." Sage sighed before shaking his head. "But if it's true, then we are nothing short of fucked. We have to find Kira and tell her of what will happen when she faces Necrozma. She can't go in blind."

"I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that, Sage and Duke," Kiminari said as he suddenly stepped into their line of sight, apparently having followed them there. "This world, whether it be destined to die or not, should not be tampered with. Kira won her wish, and you did as well. Why do you always want to change the future? You know it's useless. You aren't _them_."

"I know that, you bitch," Sage chuckled. "I gave up long ago of every being a damn Explorer, and yet when I see fuck-ups like that guy Wigglytuff introduced to me, I get the feeling, that only I can do something about that. So, why don't you step out of my way, bitch?" Sage then lifted a hand, his claws flashing as they reflected the light of the torch. "Or do I need to fuck you up?"

Kiminari growled before slamming him tail into the ground. Rocks suddenly fell from the roof, only to be reduced to dust the instant they were in the air. He flinched back as blood suddenly seeped from a wound in his cheek, somehow caused by the terrifyingly sharp claws of Sage. They both glared at each other, one the distraction and the other the slave of time.

"You'll wish you weren't born by the time I'm done kicking your ass," Sage whispered as he rushed forward, only to kick Kiminari to the side. "But for now, I have a mission to accomplish. See you at the Steel Arena, Kiminari. I have a student to save." Sage then disappeared, leaving a very pissed Kiminari behind.

"Screw you and your goals," Kiminari whispered, a red glow soon surrounding him and filling him with anger. "Hail the one who will destroy the world. Kill all those who are trying to save it." 

* * *

A week had passed since she had arrived at the top of Mount Travail, and Kira was still nowhere near where she wanted to be. At the moment, she was standing alongside Xatu and staring over the land that was their own region. Kira stood there as still as a statue, even through the bleeding scars on her body. She could feel hunger darkening her vision, but she knew any movement would just give her another scar for to bleed from. This was all a result of Xatu's training, and it had been nothing but brutal.

"That is enough for today," Xatu suddenly said, allowing Kira to finally collapse. "Your wounds are a simple sign of growth. Remember that pain, and call upon the feelings you felt for the week of our training. It may save your life one day."

"Xatu, I don't understand what this training was for!" Kira gasped as she tried to get rid of the numbness running through her body. "I went to Marowak's so I could get stronger, but then I'm sent here for no reason whatsoever! What was your training supposed to do?"

Kira flinched as yet another scar appeared on her body, sending pain through her body. She raised a hand to the scar, which then began to bleed. Raising her head, she looked at the Xatu, who had remained as calm as ever. Whenever she would ask that simple question, he would hurt her over and over and over until he thought she would have stopped. This time, he simply attacked her once.

"You do not question my decisions, Kira," he responded simply. He then walked away from her, watching over the edge of the mountain. "Your body was pushed beyond the limits you had of both body and mind. You are simply one of the many spirits inhabiting your body at the current moment." He then turned and glared at her. "If you want to save your friends and your world, you will learn to control them and use their life as your own."

Now Kira was even more confused than why she had been with Xatu since the beginning of the training. She was about to ask what Xatu meant, but she quickly stopped as she recalled a feeling she had received when they had been training. There had always been the distinct feeling of another within her mind, although she had never quite been able to tell what it was. She had thought it was her mind trying to tell her that something was wrong, but... Now that she thought about it, she hadn't felt exhaustion or hunger for the past couple of days. Was that the doing of someone inside here?

"You seem confused on the matter," Xatu said, snapping her from her thoughts. "For now, that does not matter. You are to return to Treasure Town and await your next instructions. If you understand, leave me in peace. I don't want to see your ugly face unless I have to."

This Pokémon was really rude. Kira stood, only to collapse back to her hands and knees in pain, hunger, and exhaustion. She could barely move, but she knew she would have to soon enough. She could hear footsteps coming closer. She looked up to Xatu, who wasn't even reacting to the loud thud coming from deeper within the mountain. Even then, it felt like the footsteps were pounding against her head.

Kira eventually managed to force herself to stand, but walking was an even more difficult task at the moment. Every step she took, she would stumble to the side, collapsing once more, only to have to force herself to continue. She felt sick to her stomach with all the movement, but she knew giving up, whether it be from training or not, wasn't something that she could do. Even if she wished that, she knew she couldn't really go any further.

"Such a weak and inexperienced host you are," a voice whispered within her head. "Even after all that training, you still can't seem to get a hold on the being that you were always meant to be. I've tried to help you, and yet it isn't until now that you acknowledge the existence of the beings apart from you inhabiting this body. Maybe you just weren't cut out for the role, but it's too late now, isn't it? Maybe sharing with you what we can do will help you push further."

"No," Kira responded simply, shaking off the voice. Even if there were more spirits within the body than her, she was the one who controlled the body and what it did. "This is my body, not yours. You are a simple inhabitant from somewhere far off. I am the one in control here, and you will not help me unless I ask for it."

As Kira had expected, the voice didn't respond. She soon managed to get back to her feet and walk through the maze-like caves of the mountain. She retraced her footsteps through it, ignoring almost everything that looked at her. As much as she wanted to stop and rest, she had to do something before she died. She wanted to sleep, but she had to make it to town first, right? Well, she just wanted something to eat first. She felt like her body was eating itself from the inside after all that training and nonstop wounding.

As she was walking through the forest on her way back to town, the footsteps started up again. Like last time, she froze and looked around for the source. This time, she knew that whoever was there was going to attack her. As she was expecting it, a powerful beam of energy flew at her from the forest; she just barely managed to avoid a direct hit, even if it did hurt her greatly.

"Just to be expected from the champion," Kiminari chuckled as he left the cover of the forest, glaring at her with a familiar glare. "So, Kira of Esperanza Village, are you ready to die? I'll happily teach you not to mess with me."

Kira felt fear as it gripped her heart, pulling her away from the Aggron. She wasn't sure exactly why, but this aura that he gave off reminded her of Skarmory and Lucas. She didn't know how it was happening, especially since she was sure he wasn't an Infected. But then again, those Pokémon could spread the disease, right? Maybe Kiminari had become one like Lucas had. Why was she thinking of these things now? She had two choices: fight, or run.

At the moment, she was sure there was only one proper decision, and it involved her knocking this guy out and book it before he could hit her. Even through the pain, she rocketed forward, slamming into him head-on with a powerful Tackle. Both of them were sent reeling back from the other, but Kira was already on the offensive. By the time he was ready to attack, Kira had already disappeared from sight, only to then slam a Leaf blade onto him from above. Her movements, unlike what they had been a week ago, were fluid and filled with a power unlike what she had experience before.

Kiminari growled as he then swung, knocking her back quite a far distance. "You sure have improved, but it won't be that easy to defeat me!" Kiminari's body began to glow, only to then be surrounded by some sort of dice-looking form. "Forced evolution: Mega Evolution Breakthrough!" His body then became visible. He had turned into a golden form of his own mega evolution, although the violent red aura had grown even bigger, giving away the Infection that had set in.

"How disappointing," Kira said as she appeared in front of him, her eyes glowing a light red. "I would have expected more from you, Kiminari, but I guess even brats like you don't have any sense for real power. Guess it's my time to shine, huh?" A violent wind began to kick up as Kira's eyes became blood-red. "My name is Ragnarök, the Spirit of Rage within Kira-chan's mind and body! I will destroy you, Kiminari!"

Ragnarök could only see that Kiminari had flinched a tiny bit at the sudden raise of her voice. She simply chuckled before disappearing. The next thing she saw, Kiminari was on the ground, battered and bruised by a series of attacks taking place faster than the eye could even perceive. Ragnarök, within the second, had settled down and closed her eyes.

"That was fun," she whispered as her eyes slowly became normal. "So, you're the one who was in my head, telling me that I was weak, huh?" Kira, having regained control of her body, slowly began to start her walk back to town. "I guess I'm not as strong as you, Ragnarök, but I hold the life of the body inside me. If you take control like that, you might as well just be ripping the heart right out of my body."

"That's why you have to learn to control our powers," Ragnarök told her from within. "Your body and mind are capable of many things, Kira, but only training of the spirit and mind will be able to make you stronger. You must learn to control the flame that is your limit-breaker. Much like the Infected, we were created to fight and keep you alive. Once you can control the fire we are made from, you can grow beyond the boundaries of humanity. But for now, I say it's time to relax and get some proper grub. I sure am hungry for some Pad Thai!"

"Is all you can think about food?" Kira asked as she continued to walk. After a bit of silence, she could hear her own stomach growling from days of little food. "Don't even answer that question. I guess your flame reacts to my body's needs, huh? I guess we could use that to understand what we might need."

"Nah!" Ragnarök responded. "You see, your body tells us what we need. You knew you were hungry from the moment you began training, so we tried our hardest to ignore it through the training. I guess your body tried to make up for it, so it began to deny the fact that you needed nutrients, allowing you to complete the training on basically nothing. That means we'll be able to go long times without food if we continue to practice as Xatu taught us. Maybe you can even control even more flames."

Kira sighed lightly as they finally arrived in town. She looked around a bit before chuckling to herself lightly. "Now that I think of it, I have no idea where to get any food," she told Ragnarök. All the food I got was from Swoobat and from the tournament before all of this happened. I have no idea where to get some actual grub at."

As she was expecting to get a response from Ragnarök, she was suddenly knocked to the ground, only to then be picked up and hugged by a rather familiar figure. She turned and looked up at Sage; he looked like he had just come from one hell of a training camp.

"Where ya been for the past week?" he asked with a light chuckle. "I've been looking all over for you alongside Duke, Kira. When you just disappeared, we thought you'd left us. Why didn't you tell us where you were going?"

"Umm... because I had no idea where I was going until I was told to head there," Kira responded. "Besides, it wasn't like I could tell you where I was anyways, Sage. You were busy with travel bags or whatever and Duke was back in Esperanza Village, right? Why would you want to know where I was if you were all busy? Besides, the training I had to endure was just fine. I'm a lot stronger now."

"You say that, and yet your body denies every single word you said about training," Duke told her as he landed next to Sage. "Sage, we still have business to attend to, so make sure you're at Wigglytuff's guild soon. Kira, you should probably go and find a medic. You should also get some sleep and food. Your body tells me you haven't had much of either for quite a bit of time."

"Thanks, but I don't know where to get food, nor do I really have any money to pay for them, Duke," Kira pointed out as she was set down. "Duke, you know I've only gotten so far because of you all. Without you, I'd probably be six feet under the ground by now."

"What a harsh thing to say." Kira's eyes widened in fear as Kiminari's voice echoed through the town. "What? did you not expect me to come back to you so soon, Kira? Oh, and I see you've collected the two backstabbers as well. Well, this is just perfect!"

Kira growled and pushed the two aside, glaring at the golden Mega Aggron in front of them. Kira knew that he was strong, but how had he managed to get up so soon after being knocked down? It hadn't even been half-an-hour, and he was already standing at full strength. Was this the power of the Breakthrough, or was it possibly something else?

She quickly rushed forward, but she was simply hit to the side by the powerful backhand that Aggron had swung. She had been caught off-guard by the counter, but she managed to land back on her feet after slamming into a wall. As she focused back on Kiminari, she realized that the flames had almost completely dispersed. If he was this powerful with so few flames, then the power of Ragnarök far outmatched her own.

"Don't go thinking you're weak now," Ragnarök told her from within. "I may be strong, but if I was stronger than you, your body wouldn't be able to handle the power of my flames. You're a counter, Kira; you predict your foes movements and use them to counter. I am an attacker; I attack head on faster than anyone else. Kira, this is your battle to win, not mine. Do what comes naturally to you."

Kira nodded lightly and glared at Aggron with a light chuckle. "Why don't you leave Sage and Duke out of our little squabble?" she whispered before she rushed at him, quickly changing directions as he tried to slam his fist into her again. "This is between you and me, Kiminari. If anyone needs to get hurt, it's you and me."

Kira smirked as she stopped, jumping up and lashing her vines at him. Each attack hit harshly, and yet Kiminari didn't react to a single one of them. During one of the attacks, he grabbed a vine and pulled her close, as she had anticipated. She turned as she was pulled at him, slamming her tail into his head, which was followed by a loud explosion and the cracking of what sounded like hundreds of bones at once.

"That's one hell of an attack you have there," Kira whispered as she flew off of him, slamming into the ground with an immense force. As she stood, she noticed that most of the armor over Kiminari's body had cracked. It was only because of that armor that he had managed to survive the attack, but now... he didn't have any defenses. "So, do you have any last words, Kiminari? Or will I have to put you where all Infected belong?"

"The prophecy... was right," Kiminari gasped as he fell to his knees. "A human-turned-Pokémon of immeasurable power will enter the world in a desperate attempt to protect their loved ones. This human will overpower the ones lost to infection, and destroy all that had been in their way. Kira, you're a human in your world... aren't you?"

Kira growled and shook her head. "Of course not," she said; it wasn't like she could remember having ever been human. "I am a Snivy through and through. And whether you like it or not, it's game over for you."

Kiminari chuckled. It seemed that he knew something she didn't, but he didn't get the chance to speak as he finally collapsed, his body unmoving and growing cold rather quickly. As he died, a heavy weight filled Kira's heart. She raised a hand to where her heart would lay under her chest, and sighed lightly. So this was the beginning of the ever-darkening adventure she would have to go through, huh? It wasn't the worst start, but it was going to be a terrible one.

As the aftermath reached her, Kira felt her hunger take over once more. "All I can think about now is food," she mumbled as she looked at the Pokémon who had gathered around. She could sense the sadness and fear, but there was also relief and happiness within a few of them. "Well, I guess not all bad adventures are entirely sad in the beginning!"

Within the hour, the town was full of life, and all remnants of the battle had faded away. At the moment, Kira, along with Sage and Duke, was eating a large meal at Sharpedo Bluff, watching the ocean as it floated on peacefully. Neither of them had spoken since the battle, which made for a very awkward meeting, although Kira found it just fine.

After a few more moments of silence, Duke finally spoke up. "Who would have guess Kiminari knew how to access a Breakthrough technique? I thought that art was forbidden, but I guess some Pokémon still have access to it. What's even weirder is that he did it in a mega evolved form." He then turned and looked at Kira. "Just exactly what kind of training were you doing?"

Kira was silent for a moment before she shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure what my tutor was trying to get me to do," she responded, shaking her head. "All I know is that we were silent, rarely ate, barely slept, and meditated on just about the edge of Mount Travail. I... don't know what it was all about."

"It's just as you had told me, Sage," Duke said, almost as though Kira didn't exist anymore. "Xatu was training her body and mind to push through a limit-breaker, wasn't he? I thought we told him not to do such a thing to the Pokémon he met! That guy just doesn't listen to us!"

"What do you mean by that?" Kira asked loudly, making Duke freeze. "You just asked what kind of training I went through, and earlier you pestered me about not knowing where I had gone." Kira quickly stood, clenching her fist. "Are you trying to play dumb on me, Duke and Sage? If so, you really suck at whispering and hiding words under your breath."

"What we're talking about is of no concern to a bastard who can't even control herself," Sage responded, standing and kicking her to the side before glancing at Duke. "You utter a single word of what we saw, and I'll kill you myself, you little fuck-boy." Sage then began to walk away, confusion hanging in the air at his sudden outburst.

Kira was left in a bit of shock, before she finally managed to shake it off and look back over the ocean. She felt a bit worried, but she didn't bother to poke through what they were possibly hiding. As much as she wanted to know, she knew that Sage meant serious business when he made his threats; she didn't doubt his power either. After all, he had taught her many techniques to her own battle-style. As different as they were, they were still a trainer and student.

"You know, as much as I would want to continue on with our journey, I think now would be a great time to settle down and get a proper foothold on what we're supposed to do," Duke mumbled after several minutes of silence. "We can look into those zones that Jirachi had told us about, and you can resume your training that we hate so much. Xatu and Marowak are the best of the best, even if their methods are rather dangerous."

Kira nodded lightly and sighed lightly. If Duke wanted that to happen, well, who was she to stop him? As she turned to look back at him, what sounded like an explosion sounded out, only for the sky to be filled with bright lights and colors. Kira recognized the sound as fireworks, which she hadn't seen in forever.

"They're celebrating the end of the tournament," Duke explained as he stood beside her, chuckling lightly. "Over a week has passed since that day, but I guess they're doing this just now. Well, I better get going. I'll check back with you tomorrow, Kira." He then began to hop away from her. "Don't lose concentration, Kira. You have a lot of training to do before you're able to fight Necrozma." He then left her, just as Sage had left them a couple of minutes ago.

Kira sighed lightly as she was then left to watch the fireworks on her lonesome. Well, at least she had found her friends and had gotten rid of one of the Infected along the way. As much as she wished to regret it now, it was in the past, which was something none of them could have controlled. Now, she had to look to the future where her world hung in the balance. With a sigh, she allowed the night to pass by. After all, she had some major training beginning tomorrow.

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 5: Training. I hope this chapter will fill in for the excitement the last few left out. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	7. Chapter 6: Corruption P1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
Edit: Making this into two parts due to a lack of time. The previous two chapters were also meant to be split into two, but because of complications weren't. This, as well as the next chapter (not part two), will likely be split in two._

Kira panted heavily as she skid to a stop. Scars ran over her body in every direction from hours of nonstop battling and training. Over a month had passed since she had returned to Treasure Town from Xatu's training, and almost everything was starting to turn to normal. For the last month, Kira had spent her time training and battling as many Pokémon she could find, which allowed her to practice her own style of battling: Counter Style. She had also been practicing with Xatu every once in a while, which began to increase her control over the flames Ragnarök held. Even if neither of the training methods was complete, she was a force to be reckoned with.

"You're growing better and more used to your special style, and yet you still can't face a Pokémon like me in a true battle of power," Marowak said, twirling his bone before sighing. "I would have thought a month was enough for you to break the limits of being who you are, and yet you're still as weak and puny as the day I first laid eyes on you. Why aren't you able to fight back, Kira? Are you scared of losing to the point where you're trying to avoid battle? That's really sad."

"Sir, I'm not powerful because we've been doing this nonstop for a bit too long," Kira responded, her breathing heavy as she tried to keep standing. "As much as I'd like to say I'm not trying, we've been in this cave for a bit too long. My body can't heal and I'm using nutrients faster than they can be replenished. Just a bit of light would allow me to fight at full strength." Kira saw him stop for a moment, only to be thrown back as Marowak slammed his bone into her gut. "Oww! That hurt!" she snarled as she came to a stop. "That was such a jerk move. Why did you do that?"

"Do you really think your opponent cares of your strong or not?" Marowak asked, moving away from her. "Kira, you managed to defeat Kiminari, one of the most powerful Pokémon on this continent. Not only that, but you managed to do so in a single strike, which tore his defenses like paper. Access that power and use it to battle! Don't rely on just dodging and countering! You have to fight back!"

"You don't even listen, do you?!" Kira snapped, her eyes turning a light red. "Ragnarök isn't just some tool to use during battle. We share this body, not control each other. I fight alongside him as a friend, not a master! I can't tap into the power without his permission, Marowak! He has his flame, and I have mine! We have different battle styles as well! My style is called the Counter Style after all. He's the Attack Style."

Kira growled lightly as he chuckled, getting the feeling that he didn't believe her. Her eyes returned to normal before she shot forward, turning at the last second and slamming her tail into him. He was sent flying even though she hadn't tapped into the flame that belonged to Ragnarök. It was her own power that she had been growing over the entirety of that month. Even if she wasn't as strong as Sage, or even Kiminari in this base form, she was more than capable of holding her own against opponents, as was just proven.

"And that's the end of that," Kira panted as she stood to her full height, turning and beginning to walk away. "You know nothing about me. Only Duke has been with me since the beginning, and I believe that he is truly the only one who can understand the pain I have been cursed with; Sage as well. They're special, and I know they understand that I must keep myself the way I am. I do not need the power of Ragnarök to fight you, Marowak. I will only need it when my time to save the world comes."

Kira's breathing picked up as she exited the cave, then exiting the dojo where the training took place in. She hurriedly began to walk away and head for the beach. The town and its surrounding areas had become peaceful after a bit, but Kira still felt that something was going on behind closed doors. There hadn't been any sign of Infected either, so Kira was even more on edge than normal. But even through it all, she, as well as Duke, had become greater friends than ever before. They trusted each other to the point where their lives were practically one. They would have brought in Sage as well, but that guy was so stubborn and rough. He had left upon them even mentioning to make a team with each other. It may not have been an official team, but they were still going to help each other.

"So you finally escaped Marowak's endless training?" Duke asked as she finally reached the beach, laughing as he noticed how exhausted she was. As she plopped down in the sand, Duke hopped over to her. "We don't have too long to rest, Kira. Jamie is coming to Treasure Town to pick you up. I got a letter from Houndour about something he needs help with. He called for you specifically as well, so I can't come along."

"That's a bad excuse for not coming with me," Kira sighed lightly, then reacting when she recalled he had said Houndour. "Do you mean that dog we met on my first day in this world? I didn't think we'd ever meet him again. At least, I gave up on it when we came to Treasure Town. What does he want?"

"He said it was an urgent call for you and your special abilities," Duke said with a light sigh. "You know, he means he needs you because your special style of battling while using counters and that special power you had used against Kiminari that one time. He apparently needs your expertise in diverse battling for some reason. I would ask why, but because it's urgent, I won't question anything he has to say."

Kira was silent for a moment as she thought about what she should do. She remembered telling him that she promised to help him if he ever needed it, so perhaps this was her chance to keep her promise. On the other hand, she was wondering for what purpose he would need specifically her style. She knew she wasn't the only one to use it, but how did he also know about Kiminari? News must have spread fast after that battle had taken place. Then again, it had been quite a while since it had happened. Perhaps Duke had sent Houndour a letter or something.

Shaking her head, Kira quickly dismissed the thought and smiled at Duke. "Well, none of this has ever made sense, and I doubt it ever will, so I might as well just go with the flow." She laughed nervously before nodding. "Thank you for all you've done, Duke. So, when should I expect Jamie to be here at the beach? Is it soon, or will she be here at around sunset? I can see she isn't here, so where is she?"

"Actually, I just arrived!" Jamie chirped as she slowly moved onto the beach, lifting her flipper to wave at the two. "It's great to see you again, Kira. I heard that you were busy with training, so I didn't think I'd ever get to see you again. I guess I should be lucky that Duke trusts me enough to ferry you across the ocean whenever it's needed."

"Well, I think it might just be because I really only trust you to ferry her across the ocean and back to the land where we came from," Duke responded, looking away before shaking his head. "Apart from that, let's not worry about anything else, okay? Jamie, you know Kira needs to get across the ocean and back to the forest. Remember: avoid the beach at _all_ costs."

"You think he'd care to forget about mentioning the beach, but I guess you're still one of those who think the beach is a dangerous area," Jamie said, laughing lightly. "But, seriously, you don't need to worry about anything happening at the beach, Duke. It's much quicker than traveling from the dock to the forest, and it's sure to be safe by now. I doubt we'd have to worry about anything now!"

"I told you to avoid the beach!" Duke snapped, fluttering his wings in anger. "Now, get going before I decide to turn this whole thing around and send you on a completely different mission, Kira! And don't let me hear anything about you heading to the beach. I'll kill you myself if you go anywhere near it."

Kira sighed and rolled her eyes as she moved closer before climbing on Jamie's back. She continued to listen as the two argued for a bit, but didn't really pay attention as they shouted at each other. If she was being honest, this entire thing was just carrying on for too long. Whether Duke liked it or not, she was going to found out what was going on at the beach.

After some time, she felt as Jamie started to move, and raised her head to see they were finally taking off from the shore. Duke was now no longer in sight, but Kira had the feeling he was watching them from somewhere. With a shake of her head, Kira sat up and watched the waves as they started to pass by, humming a tune with no rhythm. It wasn't meant to not have one, but she didn't know what to hum at the moment.

"So, I guess we're just gonna ignore Duke's advice and go straight for the beach?" Jamie asked, turning to see Kira nodding. With a light chuckle, she faced forward and swam quickly. "I've missed you, Kira. These past few weeks have been rough for Pokémon like us. After what happened at the tournament and what happened to Kiminari, Pokémon have really been avoiding Treasure Town and the nearby islands as much as they could. That's made it so rough for us to do anything or get anywhere."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Jamie," Kira responded, tapping her fingers together. "I think I might just be having a string of bad luck or something. Skarmory appeared at the tournament and I had to kill it along with a Riolu who had become Infected, and then Kiminari had to suffer the same fate." She sighed lightly before looking down. "I'm really sorry about all the trouble I've caused you. The world would probably be better without me here."

Jamie shrugged before sighing lightly. "I'd say that you were the one causing it all, but you actually aren't. Ever since you arrived, Infections have been going down like mad. Many Pokémon who were lost to the Infection have begun returning to us, and those Pokémon you had to kill seemed to have been leading those Infections. I didn't think it possible, but a recent finding found it possible for Pokémon to become Infected from those who aren't fully under the influence of it. It spreads until the main host is killed, freeing those who were infected by that host."

"Well, that's weird to hear," Kira said with a light chuckle before a sudden thought reached her. "I didn't ask about it before, but what is mega-breakthrough? I heard something about how Kiminari had gone beyond just mega evolution and something called breakthrough to create a mega-breakthrough. What exactly is that?"

"It's basically a god-like state that can be attained by years of training," Jamie responded. "All I know is that they're incredibly powerful and deadly in some cases. Kiminari must have been one of the few who can access but can't control it. I heard you absolutely destroyed him!"

"It's no exaggeration, but it also explains what happened rather well," Kira told her with a sigh. "I just attacked him, and all that armor on him just... shattered! The next thing I knew, he was on the floor, dead. I don't know what happened, but I'm scared. I don't want to access whatever power I used right then and there again; I liked being normal."

Jamie was silent for a moment before she sighed. "Not everyone can have what they want, Kira. We all have things we have to do whether we like it or not, and some of us know things that no one else can ever know. Duke and Sage are two examples of Pokémon who know and do things that can absolutely destroy those around them. That's why they usually lie and hide behind these masks that you see, Kira. You may not be able to tell, but they do. I can feel it hiding deep within them, struggling to escape but being kept somewhere no one can see it. Don't become like them, Kira. Be honest and fight for what you believe in, even if you think it might be wrong with the majority."

"You sound like some sort of counselor or something, Kira said, looking around Jamie and for any sign of land. Unfortunately, there was nothing in sight so far. "You would probably make a great one for the Pokémon who travel across the water with you. I wonder if that would count as two jobs in one."

"Probably, but who really cares about being counseled by a Pokémon who simply ferries them over the sea to a land where they've probably been to a hundred times?" Jamie sighed and shook her head, focusing forward as she swam slightly faster. "One of these days I'll be able to reach Killari Island in no time. I hope I learn it soon though."

Kira shrugged lightly before she leaned back on Jamie's shell. She watched the sky as she thought of what to do upon arrival to Kalliri Island. Now that she thought about it, that was a rather silly name for an island that had a Spanish town. Why wasn't the island itself Spanish? Perhaps the town had been built before a proper name was decided. Kira quickly shook her head and let the thought fade away. It wasn't like it was important anyways. A name was just a name, and that was all it would ever be.

After quite a long time of silence between the two, Kira could hear the sound of water as it hit against sand, a sound she had become used to during her time in Treasure Town. She quickly sat up and noticed them approaching the beach of Killari Island, to which she then smiled. The beach looked rather normal apart from a few rocks sticking up all over the place. Well, they at least gave the beach a bit of life. Treasure Town had Krabby and this place had giant rocks. At least it wasn't plain and boring.

"So this is the beach that Duke never wanted anyone to visit," Jamie said as she approached shore, soon sliding to a stop. "I can't tell if anything's different about this place than from Treasure Town. The air is peaceful, but there's also a bit of mystery to it. I wonder just what it was that Duke wanted to hide from us here."

"I don't know, but whatever it is, it must be hidden pretty darn well." Kira quickly slid off Jamie's shell, walking through the shallow water before she reached the dry parts of the beach. "Thank you for the help, Jamie. I think I can handle myself from here on. I might come back here after my mission with Houndour is done, so I'll see you in about... a week?"

"That sounds rather fair," Jamie responded, slowly sliding back out into the sea. "Well, I'll see you back here, Kira. Don't do anything rash while your friend isn't here." She quickly waved before turning and swimming away, likely to hide the fact that she had been there.

With a light chuckle, Kira silently walked through the beach, looking around for anything suspicious. As she was walking, she saw something glinting in the sun, and quickly walked over, picking up some sort of gem attached to a metal chain. The gem looked like some sort of black opal, but it also looked like a mix between some sort of emerald and quartz stone. Right below where it had been resting was a sheet of paper; Kira picked this up next.

"Dear reader, My name is Duke of Killari the Third. This necklace was once a sign of my family heritage, but I have abandoned it because of a secret I learned accidentally; my mother and father, Kisali of Killari the Second and Duke of Killari the Second, were talking about the island's history. The name may not seem like anything special, but the name came from a mission my parents had come across when they were married. Killari's name, when split in two, becomes Kill Ari, a death sign to my great-grandmother's best friend. Luckily, whether it be for better or worse, Ari escaped the first Dukes by escaping to another world: The Human Realm. I hope that wherever he is, Ari is okay. For now, this is the end of this letter... I hope no one finds this in my lifetime."

Kira looked at the letter and read over it for a few minutes before she dropped it, shock hitting her harder than, well, Kiminari had ages ago. She didn't know what to think, but was this why Duke had been trying to get people to avoid the beach? Was this letter and the fact that his family was so intent on killing Ari that he wanted to hide and lie about it all until his death? Kira wasn't sure what to think anymore, but she was sure there had to be more to it than she thought.

As she was debating to head further in and to the forest, she noticed some ink had seeped through the paper of the letter. She picked it up and flipped it over, finding a second letter, likely having been written in a rush since it was such a mess. Kira managed to decrypt it though, since she was used to messy handwriting, especially her own.

"This necklace... I don't want anything to do with it from now on, so the first person to find it will become the rightful owner of it and the rightful "King/Queen" of Killari. It doesn't matter whether they want it or not because I've had to suffer it for far too long. I guess... I have to look forward to smiling at a new ruler from a place that I never wanted to be in as a child. To whoever has found my gem, I wish you luck."

Kira felt shock once more, but it was an odd shock that filled her with joy as well. Whoever had found this gem... was a ruler? She wanted something like that, but could she really ever take such power into her hands? She was silent before she shook her head and set the letter into the sand. As much as she would have liked to, she couldn't accept it. She set the gemstone next to it, putting it in a position anyone could find, even if on accident.

Kira started to walk away before she felt a heavy feeling on her chest. She looked down and noticed the black opal hanging around her neck. Curious, she took it off and threw it away. She was sure she had put it back in the sand, not put it on. Shaking her head to try and clear it, she continued on her way across the beach and to the forest.

Upon entry to the forest, that heavy weight returned. She continued to walk forward as she lifted a hand, feeling the opal around her neck once more. As confused as she was, she figured this was part of the letter that she hadn't really cared about: "It doesn't matter whether they want it or not." She figured that this was what Duke meant by that, so she knew she probably wouldn't be able to get rid of it. She shook her head once more and continued into the forest, looking around for any sign of Houndour.

It wasn't long before she was back where this had all began. The dying grass beneath her feet told her that this place hadn't grown back since her time there, which kind of surprised her. Then again, it was great to see that not everything has to change so quickly around you. It gave her a feeling of calm and freedom, something she rarely ever got to feel nowadays. For once, it actually felt like the world was allowing the Pokémon to relax.

"I figured you'd come back here," a voice spoke, slightly scaring her until she turned; Houndour smiled as he pushed through the underbrush. "It's been a bit too long, Kira. I see you have yet to evolve, but I guess some of us still can't go past these forms. Even then, thank you for coming to my call. I didn't think you'd come after all that had happened in Treasure Town."

"I could go for a break every once in a while," Kira responded as she stepped closer to him, patting the top of his head. "You look like you've grown quite a bit yourself, Houndour. How have you been doing since the last time I saw you? Better, I hope."

"I've been through a couple of rough times, but the pack and I are doing better than when we last meet, although our leader has gotten severely worse." He sighed lightly and looked down. "I don't know if you've guessed it yet, but I asked for your help so we can save him. We need him to function, and he has yet to choose someone to lead us. I... We beg of you to save him."

Kira was silent for a moment before she nodded and stood to her full height, puffing her chest out as though she was acting bold and prideful. "I'll do whatever it takes to save your leader." She then realized she had no idea how to. "Umm... Can you give me a hint as to what I'm supposed to do to help you? I don't know anything about medicine."

"What we need isn't medicine," Houndour responded, confusing her greatly before looking into the forest. "There's a special flower known as the Harmony Lily that grows in a dungeon not far from here. We'd try to get it, but the Pokémon there are too powerful for us to handle, even in groups of five or six. We know because we've tried it before. Please, Kira. Do you think you can find the flower?"

Kira nodded quickly, chuckling lightly. "I think I can find it without too much problem. But since I don't know what any of your flowers look like, I'll just grab all that I can find before I'm chased out." She laughed nervously before noticing that Houndour looked a bit upset. "What's wrong? Is something happening that I should know about?"

Houndour shook his head, backing away from her lightly. "The flower looks like any normal Water Lily, although it has a black bud that's shaped like a diamond is usually seen as. I'm sure you'll find it without problem, Kira. Please, just hurry up and go."

Kira nodded and slowly started to walk towards where he had been looking to before. She wasn't sure of what it was, but a feeling of unease gripped her heart and filled her with dread. It wasn't like she hadn't felt it before, but it felt so much stronger now than ever before. She eventually shook off the thought before the forest began to change.

"Alright. Find the Harmony Lily with the black bud shaped like a diamond," she whispered as the ground started to become soaked under her feet. "You have nothing to worry about from here on. Just remember your training and keep pushing on."

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 6: Corruption P1. I hope you have enjoyed this little sidestep from all the action. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	8. Chapter 7: Corruption P2

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

Kira yawned loudly as she ran across the water of the dungeon. She wasn't exactly sure if it was even a dungeon anymore, as everything was practically empty or void of life. Sure, there was the occasional plant or small bird, but there was nothing else that could really be seen. Even then, Kira was sure that there had to be something somewhere around here - this place had to have what she was looking for if Houndour had told her, right?

Now that she was acutally here and thinking about it, she hadn't really seen a single sign of Pokémon life apart from the cries. When Houndour had told her that there were some powerful Pokémon here, she had actually been expecting some powerful opponents to face along the way. Instead, she was just walking here trying not to fall asleep out of boredom or something.

To keep herself distracted, although only for a moment, she raised a hand to the opal around her neck, feeling the cold and soft stone as it kept close with some sort of power she couldn't really comprehend. She was debating to ask Ragnarök about it, but she was sure he would have the same response to it. Actually, she was completely sure of it. Even with how different they were, they were still one person overall.

"So you really think there might be some sort of special power that the stupid necklace has?" Ragnarök mumbled from within her head. "Why don't we just drop that subject and look at something else for a change? Maybe something like that second flame we were able to detect during our training. I wonder just what they might be."

"True, but I say we just let flames be flames and only expect them when we get back into whatever it is we are supposed to be doing these days," Kira responded, holding her hands behind her head as she looked for the Harmony Lily. "For now, instead of worrying about whoever that was, let us focus on finding a flower that sounds like it was made up thirty seconds ago."

Ragnarök was silent for a moment before chuckling lightly. "That's because I think it was," he said, growling lightly as silence echoed around them. "The only flower I can recall even remotely close to a Harmony Lily would be the Water Lily, which looks nice. A black bud, according to my guess if it's right, would be like a poison to anyone who even so much as touches it. I'm not a hundred percent sure, but that's what I believe. Just a random guess from a person who doesn't even like to read books or remember what can be what."

"You sound like Sage in that matter," Kira chuckled, only to earn a growl from Ragnarök. "Sorry, but you both hate reading and do things your own way." She was silent for a moment before shaking her head. "I should shut up now. Talking to myself like this isn't exactly healthy for the mind."

As Ragnarök fell silent, Kira continued on her trek through the dungeon, glancing around for any sign of the Harmony Lily, which she was now having doubts about. Kira continued to walk until she could do so no longer. The Pokémon in the dungeon had started to appear, which took a lot of energy out of her for some odd reason. Even then, she was a lot more exhausted due to how many detours she had to take and how often she would have to run from an opponent she couldn't beat without tapping into her flames. But this wasn't even the end of the dungeon, and Kira was sure that there would be much harder opponents to face through the journey to come.

Catching her breath from the nonstop running and battling, Kira noticed that she was starting to get lost from all the running around. Nothing really looked familiar to this point, and even the sun above her seemed to have been staying in the same place since the beginning of her journey. No matter where she looked, nothing looked like it could give a hint as to if it was the right way out. Maybe if she reached the end of the dungeon she would be able to escape? At least, that's what she hoped would happen.

As she was about to continue on the trek, an odd chill washed over her. She froze in place, quickly glancing around for any sign of a possible attacker, but there was nothing around her. The only things she could see were the reeds that grew around the dungeon, as well as the clear water and solid stone beneath her feet. Otherwise, there was nothing for her to really notice. That was right up until she was sent flying high, something slamming into her from below.

Caught off guard, it took a moment for Kira to right herself and use her vines to set herself on the floor, barely avoiding a crash landing with the ground. She shook and looked at where she had been attacked, then noticing a Pokémon that looked something like a flounder, although its body was sparking with an intense electricity.

'So this thing must be Stunfisk, right?' she thought to herself as the Pokémon floundered around, giant bolts of electricity launching in every direction. 'Why does it look so agitated? I'm sure I would have felt myself step on it, so why is it acting this way?' Kira was about to call out to it, only to stop as she noticed a black flower latching onto its underside. It looked like a water lily, even though the bud was... black.

"That's what we're looking for?!" Ragnarök screamed from within her head. "This is even worse than what I had thought it would do! The flower is driving that Pokémon into a Hyper-state! Why would they need that kind of flower if they just need to heal their pack leader?!"

"That's because that flower wouldn't just heal it," Kira responded as her vines quickly extended, preparing for her attack. "That flower would drive their leader into a rage that could possibly destroy the whole forest. With that much power, they wouldn't have any reason to run. They could just kill whatever and take over from there. Even then, we need to get rid of this thi-"

Kira yipped as she was sent flying once more. This time, though, she was a lot more prepared, and fixed herself much quicker, splashing heavily before shaking and looking at the massive amount of Pokémon that had come from the water. Each of them had the Harmony Lily attached in some way or another, and they were all focusing on her.

"This does not look good for either of us," Ragnarök whispered from her head, her eyes turning red as their flames became one. "I think it'd be best if we take them out before they can get any plans. What do you think, Kira-chan?"

Kira nodded before she quickly jumped, barely dodging an attack she hadn't seen. She smirked before turning, her vines lashing out quickly, knocking many of the Pokémon away. Even with her type advantage over most, she was sure that they would make a rough opponent. But they weren't too bad, yet. They were probably warming up. Either that, or the flower was just waiting and tiring her out. It seemed like it could do that, possibly.

As she was thinking, Kira and Ragnarök both failed to notice another attack being launched right at them. Kira was only just about able to block the attack, even though it still launched her backwards and through the thick bark of a nearby tree. They hit the ground roughly, pain coursing through them as they tried to stand once more. There was no doubt at least a rib was broken from the attack. They were quick to shake it off, though. The amount of sun and their flames together healed them incredibly fast, although the damage would remain until they got proper healing items.

A sudden beam of energy slammed into them from behind, shocking them but also knocking them forward, where they were met by another beam of energy. The attacks met with the weakening Snivy in the middle, tearing her apart from the inside and out. Kira could feel her consciousness fading, only to then feel as energy began to course through her. A familiar flame met with hers, giving her hope.

"I'm afraid I can't let you die just yet," a sweet voice whispered, power surrounding her and tearing away the pain. "Protective counter! Full force strike!" Energy flared out from all directions, completely overpowering the beams that were crushing her. "Don't let me see you giving up just yet, Kira-sama! Our job is too important to give up! Kick these Harmony Lilies back to the ground where they came from!"

Kira nodded as her vision returned. She was on her knees, glaring at charred ground as water slowly trickled back into its spot. She hurriedly stood, looking around at the massive damage that had been done to the surrounding area. Most of the trees had ben burnt to a crisp, and even the water that had covered the floor was struggling to flow back into place. Overall, the damage that had been done could have been compared to about fifty or so pounds of dynamite at once. It wasn't bad, but it was harsh.

Kira quickly noticed the Pokémon coming back around her, although there was significantly fewer Pokémon than there had been before. She quickly shook it off and clenched her fists as she tapped into the flames that were coursing through her being. That new voice seemed to have left a bit of flame there, although enough for only a single massive attack. Ragnarök's flames had disappeared, although she could still sense him somewhere. She hurriedly shook her head and focused on the Pokémon. She had one strike, and then she was on her own.

Jumping up, Kira felt her vines extend, making an idea to come to her head. She glanced at each of the Harmony Lilies, time seeming to slow as she locked on to each of them. Without even thinking of it, her vines lashed out, the green flame entering them and allowing them to extend, slamming into the lilies swiftly and without mercy. By the time she landed, almost every single lily had been taken out; most Pokémon rushed away once the lilies had been knocked into the water.

She collapsed to her knees as she regained full control, exhaustion hitting her harder than Marowak had ever done to her. She raised a hand to the opal, chuckling lightly before she collapsed to the ground. She tried so hard not to black out, but she was eventually consumed by the darkness, falling limp as she lost control of everything.

As she regained consciousness, Kira confusedly looked around to find herself at the entrance of the dungeon. She hurriedly sat up, gasping as pain tore from her waist to her lower chest; she froze, the pain eventually receding and allowing her to stand once more. After a moment of trying to catch her breath, she looked around for any sign of Pokémon who could have helped her - there were none.

"What even happened?" she groaned loudly rubbing the side of her head as she sat down, trying to recall the events of the battle. Everything had become a blur after she had been knocked through the tree, but she could recall a voice and the calming yet powerful flame that had become a piece of her. "Who was that anyways? It wasn't Ragnarök's for sure."

As she was trying to think, the sound of paw-steps slowly reached her. She quickly raised her head, almost lashing out at Houndour as he pushed from the undergrowth, which had almost scared her to a heart attack. They glared at each other for a moment before Kira actually attacked, slamming him into a tree out of fear.

"What were you thinking when you told me to go in there?!" she screamed at him, anger ripping through her like a flood. "Do you even know what that Harmony Lily does to Pokémon?! I almost died because you want your leader to become some sort of powerful monster! What that hell, Houndour?! You're insane!"

"I'm sorry," he groaned as he stood, only to be slammed into the ground. Blood seeped from from his maw, showing a sign of weakness. "I... didn't think you'd come across the dungeon Pokémon under its influence." He coughed as he forced himself to stand, luckily not being hit again. "That flower, feeds off a Pokémon's fighting spirit. That's why I needed them. It'd heal our leader, but the effects of violence would be much, much weaker. He doesn't want to fight others. We're peaceful, unlike those you met."

"There were other ways to heal your leader," she whispered. "You called me over and almost got me killed for a flower that can control hundreds of Pokémon at once. I'm lucky to even be alive, and yet you're trying to say that flower won't do the same thing to your leader as it did to those Pokémon? I'm sorry, but I don't think I can trust you, especially after what just happened. I said I'd help you, but... I can't believe you after that."

Houndour was silent before he lowered his head. "I figured you wouldn't, but I guess maybe I was having my hopes up when the only human I knew said she'd help me." Kira, in shock, backed away. "You didn't know? I knew you were human from the very beginning, Kira. You reek of them. It took me a while, but I figured it rather quickly. You haven't heard the rumors of humans coming to save the world yet, have you? I figured you'd know by now, but I guess I still had my hopes too high."

'He's lying,' Kira thought, clenching her fist as she tried to think. She tried to be angry at him, but she couldn't with how hard she was trying to think. "You can't honestly think I'd believe you, do you? You sent me there to either get killed or turn your leader into a monster. Now you expect me to believe that I'm here to save your world from possible destruction? Houndour, as much as I'd love to believe you, I don't. You lost my belief when I was an inch away from death."

Houndour nodded before flames erupted from around them, surrounding them quickly and burning the trees close to them. "Then I guess I'll have to make you see the truth." He raised his head, his eyes blazing with blue fire. "My name is Houndour of the Alpha Pack. I challenge you, Kira of the Human Realm, to a battle of the heart and mind."

Kira flinched as she felt flames licking at her body, filling her with pain and fear. She didn't know what to do anymore, and she wasn't even sure if she could fight him. With his type advantage and how weak she was, she knew she would be absolutely destroyed by Houndour. Even then, she knew she wouldn't be able to run away from him.

"Please, reconsider this, Houndour," she whispered, barely standing against the flames as they burned her. "I don't want to fight you, please. I just wanted to do what I could to help, but I can't do anything like this. Please, I beg of you!"

"It's too late to reach him," the voice from before whispered in her ear. "The rage that keeps him standing it starting to overflow like a river after a storm. You have to battle him, Kira-sama. Even I know that we have to beat him before we can go back."

Kira shook her head, denying it; she was going to lose no matter how hard she tried, even if she did access the flames within her body. "I can't fight," she whispered, collapsing to her knees as tears fell to the ground. "I don't want to hurt him. It's my fault for failing, even if I don't believe him. He did nothing wrong, at all. He only wants to protect his leader, and I messed that up. I'm sorry, but I don't want to fight."

As she felt the tears slide to the ground, the flames slowly began to fade away. Houndour chuckled lightly and began to back away. "As I said before, I knew you were a human from the very beginning. Instead of fighting like any Pokémon, you gave in and surrendered, begging not to fight like the humans in our books." He turned away from, now padding away. "You should probably rest up. This isn't the only thing you have to do here, Kira. Rest up, for the journey will continue tomorrow."

As his footsteps became next to nothing, Kira raised her head, her cheeks stained with tears. She could barely register anything now, but she was sure that whatever it was, it wasn't something she wanted to care about. For the first time in her time here, she had felt genuine terror course through her.

After several moments of silence, Kira noticed an odd mist starting to form around her. She was sure that it was real, but there was also a mythical feeling about it. She stood, starting to walk until something grabbed her arm. She turned, jumping back as she saw an exact replica of herself being formed from the mist, albeit with green eyes and a powerful flame.

"My name is Leaf," it explained, its sweet voice a reminder of the battle and challenge to fight. "You did well when you resisted the urge to fight right there, Kira. Every other person I've challenged with my flame has usually charged right into battle." She laughed lightly before turning her head. "It seems we have a visitor. It's been a while, Ragnarök."

Another replica of Kira formed, albeit with an aura that almost consumed them all and with bright red eyes. "You speak to me as though I haven't been having to deal with you talking to me forever now," he growled in return. "Besides, when did you learn this neat trick? I feel almost... human... again."

Kira felt a bit confused before she shook her head. Perhaps now was the best time to ask. "What do you mean by human?" she asked quickly, earning confused glares from Leaf and Ragnarök. "I mean, I know what a human is, but what do you mean by 'feels human'? I'm not a human, am I? Houndour said I was, a-and now you're saying that you feel human... again."

"In truth, Kira, we were once all humans, but we fell to the curse of Necrozma hundreds of years ago," Leaf said calmly, sighing before turning away. "Back when humans could use the attacks of Pokémon for themselves, me and Ragnarök were the two strongest mages in the world, although Ragnarök is much, much stronger than me in every possible way, except maybe in mentality."

"Thank you for bringing my pride down, Leaf," Ragnarök mumbled, forcing his flame to slowly die down, although it could still be felt burning around them. "But otherwise, what Houndour said was indeed true, although I'm sure Leaf can explain why he wanted to fight." He hurriedly shook his head before chuckling. "Before that, though, I should explain why you were chosen to be our host. We've been jumping from host to host for the past century, but none of them were capable of holding onto our flames, which ended up burning them from the inside-out. We were going to give up, but that was when we came across you. Your flames were so powerful that you didn't notice any of us inhabiting you body."

"That was until we met Xatu, who drove you to access your reserves, which dragged Ragnarök out of his sleep-like state and allowed him to fuel you with his own form of power," Leaf interrupted. "And today, you revealed me, the Pokémon known for her countering style of battle while having a powerful offense as well. That was the only way you managed to survive those Hyper beams with how powerful they were."

Kira was silent for a moment before she lowered her head. If this was true, then maybe what Kiminari had told her was true as well. Was she destined to take down the one who ruled the Infection? Wasn't that Pokémon supposed to be Necrozma? She felt so unsure now, but perhaps that was what was happening. Maybe that prophecy would come true soon, or so she hoped.

"Maybe we should head to Esperanza Village," Ragnarök suggested as the mist began to thin out. "We still have a mission to complete here, so I say we get some food and rest. I miss Swanna's cooking, although we've only really had it once!"

Kira nodded, chuckling lightly. If she was being honest, that one night in Esperanza Villgae had made her feel truly safe. She was sure it wasn't because she didn't really have nothing to fear there, but because there were Pokémon she could trust with her full heart. Shaking her head, she began her trek all the way to Esperanza Village. She hoped she would at least be recognized there. 

* * *

"So you really think that Houndour will be able to tap into her final form?" Duke growled under his voice, flames making his shadow dance as he followed Sage through a familiar tunnel. "I know she had that weird flame when she battled Kiminari, but it was only for a second, Sage. She can't do what your friends can do. She isn't a god."

"I know that, Duke, but you told me that he would be the best one to train her," Sage responded, licking his lips as familiar symbols began to appear along the walls. "You asked me what I thought, and I said that it was a fine idea for if we want to see her full power. Besides, he said he'd message us as soon as he was done with their first day of training. And you lied to her as well, saying that he needed help when he clearly didn't. They can take care of themselves just fine."

Duke nodded lightly as they continued on. After a moment, a flash of light came from Sage's bag, which Duke looked at confusedly. Sage calmly pulled some sort of disk from the bag before throwing it ahead of them. It expanded quickly, now showing Houndour as though it was some sort of illusion.

"This is a hologram," Sage explained as he noticed Duke looking at it confusedly. "Back where I came from, these were used to talk between people who were long distances away without a phone or whatnot. But apart from that, I was lucky to find what I needed to make some here. You Pokémon sure are behind on times."

"And right you are to say so," Houndour then said, his voice scratchy as he wrapped bandages around his paw. "But that isn't what I want to talk to you about. As promised, I've come in to give you my report on what I could find out about her in her basic state." He sighed lightly before flames escaped from his maw, burning the grass beneath his paws. "I tried to see how much she could stand, but there was something wrong with the testing. The Harmony Lily made the dungeon Pokémon insanely aggressive, which it's never done before during these tests. I think something about Kira is triggering this massive spread of aggressive and violent Infections. But, there's another thing that I have to tell you about." He was silent before chuckling. "Kira is able to access a limit-breaker without so much as blinking. I felt the rage in my system as the flames persuaded me to fight. As you suspected, Sage and Duke, she is no normal human. She's a human mind and soul in a Pokémon's body of instinct. She's a perfect blend between the two."

"So you're saying that we have a problem even bigger than just the normal Infections?" Duke groaned loudly before raising a wing and rubbing his head. "I hate to say it, but I think we can't hide it from her for much longer." He looked up to Houndour, nodding lightly. "What are we going to do now? We have to find Necrozma and take him out before this gets any worse."

"It won't be so easy," Sage whispered, his eyes glancing at the symbols, most of which were old or worn out. "According to this, Necrozma is no longer able to control the Infected Pokémon. There's something else keeping them in line, and I'm admittedly terrified to find out just who it is. They must be powerful if they're controlling them all at once."

"I wouldn't worry about it for much longer," Houndour said, a light chuckle escaping him as he stood. "For now, I need to find something to help my leader, so I'll leave you two to try and figure what we have to do next. I'll call you as soon as I finish with Kira tomorrow. See you both later!"

The hologram then collapsed, rocketing back to Sage's bag once it had turned off. Duke had to say that the hologram had shocked him, but he didn't really bother to stand on it long since it would just get in the way of their mission. He looked at the walls, but the flame was getting too dim for them to see any longer.

"We should get out of here," Sage mumbled as he dropped the torch and started to head back towards the entrance. "For now, we have to allow time to catch up to where we are. If Wave did as he said he would, then I'm sure time needs to heal up."

Duke nodded in response. Sage was right when he said that time needed to catch up. Sometimes, even Duke wondered when they'd be able to rest, but now was not the time for that, no matter how badly he wanted it to be. For now, more research had to be done.

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 7: Corruption P2. I hope you have enjoyed another flame. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading.  
Edit: As I said, time needs to heal up. This is sort of a forth wall break, meaning I need time to catch up with what I've been doing and will do. Thank you, and see you all in a while._


	9. Chapter 8: Forgotten Memories P1

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

Kira panted heavily as she fell on her butt, her heart beating heavily while she tried to catch her breath. At the moment, she, along with Swanna and Audino, were helping the town to a feast like no other. Kira hadn't really expected this when she had come back, but at least she was getting to help instead of being pampered. In fact, this felt a lot better than anything else, apart from her first night in the town.

She shook her head as she stood, glancing at the Pokémon who had come here for the feast. Most of them were village Pokémon, but she realized that most of them were likely explorers since they had only really arrived that day. The smell of the fresh air and the sight of the many Pokémon around her told her that things were getting better around here. Last time, they had almost been attacked by all those Infected, but perhaps it was all starting to slow down - that was a great sign.

Kira laughed excitedly as she grabbed a tray of berries to serve them to the nearby Pokémon. Along her way, she noticed that some were looking at her - more or less, it was actually at the gem on her chest that caught their eyes. Kira was sure many Pokémon recognized it, but any question that was directed at it was ignored. She was here to help and have a great time, not have to answer questions about what she was doing down here instead of talking to people they would think were her parents.

After a few more hours of all this partying, Kira found herself in Swanna's café, which was practically filled with Pokémon who liked to stay up late or had a bit too much coffee. She herself was on her last feet, which was why she had nearly a gallon of coffee beside her, which was nearly almost gone. She was kicking her legs as she sat on an island, humming as she watched the Pokémon. She then noticed Audino walking over to her, and smiled lightly. He had been rather quiet the entire party, but she wasn't exactly sure why. But apart from that, she trusted that he had his own reasons for just being there and helping when needed. It was probably just work or something.

"So, you're still up and drinking coffee?" Audino mumbled, jumping onto the island and sitting beside Kira; she nodded in response. "Well, who am I to judge a Pokémon who's becoming more and more powerful?" He sighed lightly before glaring at her. "You seem like you're trying to hide something from me, Kira. I thought we were friends. I trust you enough to tell you what's wrong, so why don't you tell me?"

Kira shrugged lightly, looking down as she tried to think. It wasn't like there was anything wrong, but this necklace just wouldn't get off her mind, nor would Leaf or Ragnarök. She remained silent as she thought of reasons for looking or acting down, but nothing would reach her. She then felt Audino's hand on the black opal, her heart beating faster as an odd sensation of joy was sent through her.

"I was there for Duke's birth," Audino told her, feelings of pain and joy tearing through Kira and her mind. "I was there since his mother had given him the gem. I was there for pretty much the entirety of his life, and then I find you with his stone, which he had abandoned upon coming here to Esperanza Village for the first time in his life." Audino's grip then became rough, pulling her close. "Where did you find this? Are you aware of the danger this thing puts you in? Why are you still carrying it around?"

Kira actually felt fear, but it wasn't her own. Rather, she could tell that it was Audino's from the past. "I... I want to tell you, b-but I can't wh-when yo-you're holding m-me like this," she whimpered, the fear becoming her own until he let her go. Upon release, she fell back, landing with a loud thud. "Oww. Did you really have to grab me so harshly?"

Audino didn't respond as he jumped from the island and stumbled to the door. Before he left, he turned and glared at her. "Do what you came here to do, but I don't want to see you wearing that necklace ever again." He then left the café, an odd silence following before being brought back to life by a cheerful and probably drunk Swanna.

Kira sighed as the party returned to life, standing and jumping up onto the island once more. Now that she was alone, she was actually getting the chance to think, but perhaps it was best she didn't. Before she could leave the party Swanna walked over to her, wrapping her wing around the small Snivy, shocking her greatly.

"Come on and lighten up!" Swanna chirped, glancing around at the party. It wasn't exactly wild, but the amount of Pokémon made Kira feel incredibly uncomfortable in the situation. Swanna seemed to notice this, but then simply pushed her into the middle of it. "Cheer up and have a drink or two! There's nothing wrong happening! Just a little celebration for you coming back after all this time."

Kira was now a bit more uncomfortable, especially with Swanna's behavior. She then felt a hand on her arm, and swung around, her tail connecting with the face of whoever had touched her. They instantly released, then being sent through the wall of the café with her burst of power. The party froze as they stared at her, her heart beating wildly before she noticed their stares. She quickly turned and rushed away from them, wondering to herself why she had even lashed out.

After what felt like forever, Kira stopped running. She fell to her knees, tears falling slowly but in great amounts. She quickly wiped them away, collapsing to the floor as she tried to think. It was probably just a reaction, but Kira hadn't liked being in that crowd. Was it perhaps because of something that had happened during her time in the human world that she could no longer remember? There was lot she couldn't recall, so maybe it was because of a similar event that she had lashed out. Neither Leaf nor Ragnarök were speaking, so Kira couldn't even ask them.

As she laid there, the odd silence of the night washed over her. It was a feeling she had never felt in her life before, so maybe it was a nice change from all the drama and action that had happened in the past. In fact, it seemed like a nice place to relax, here under the stars. She rolled over, smiling faintly as she saw the stars for the first time in what felt like years. The peaceful quiet and warm air felt like home, but she knew it wasn't. It was foreign air to where she had come from, right? She was a human from the human world - that was what she had been told by Houndour, Leaf, and Ragnarök. If that was so, then why did this feel like home?

Kira sighed and closed her eyes, allowing her thoughts to drift softly instead of run all over the place like they usually would. Although, as she was thinking, images of what appeared to be humans started to fill her vision. No matter how hard she tried, she wasn't able to open her eyes, even though she tried. That was when it became a solid picture. She sat up, her eyes wide as she took in the memory of the human world.

Her breathing was heavy as she stood a hand on her gut as pain tore through her nerves. But even after she stood, she was knocked to the ground by a male with dark hair. Around her, people would laugh as he pushed her down over and over and over, until he just started to beat the hell out of her. She cried and begged, but nothing would get him to stop. Even when he had finally gotten off her, he still ridiculed her, calling her a "filthy pest" or "disgusting rat." Kira felt tears as she forced herself to her feet, but nothing hurt worse than the feeling of all those bystanders just having watched as she was hit. It made her feel terrible, weak, and worthless.

Kira stood to her feet, only to collapse to her knees as she felt pain in her body. There was a moment of silence before movement took her attention. She looked up to the humans who offered their hands to her. One was a female with bright green eyes, the other a male with red. She smiled weakly before she took their hands. They reminded her of someone, but she couldn't recall it at the moment. They just felt so familiar.

The memory then became foggy before it cleared. It seemed to have jumped to another day; this one she was with the two she had met the other day. Just like the last memory, that male came back and the crowd formed around them. Kira felt fear grip her, expecting to be hit, but the other two acted so calm and collected.

"Leave her alone," the male beside her said, his voice deep and bold. "You know what'll happen if you challenge us, Ari. You've had your butt kicked hundreds of times before, and we aren't afraid to tear you to shreds once more."

Ari returned with a deep and cold voice. "You think you can really stop me this time?" he whispered, many more surrounding them, even some Pokémon. "You're a fool for thinking that you can stop me in this form, Ragnarök. You're still weak and useless."

"That's what you say, but you were almost destroyed back when we were still our normal selves," the female said, a green aura surrounding her fist. "I know you have no access to your flames, so don't bother trying to attack or fight back. Just turn your sorry ass around and we won't have any problems here."

Ari growled, about to step forward, only slam into the ground as Ragnarök appeared behind him, hitting him right across the neck and practically paralyzing him. He shrugged and headed back over, placing a hand on Kira's shoulder. She looked at him with shock, but he simply smiled.

"Remember: we're always here for you, Kira," he said with a light chuckle. "Don't ever look at the sky and say that you're alone. From now on until the day we all die, I pledge my allegiance to you, my friend."

Kira smiled and nodded before the memory shattered in front of her. Her breathing sped up as she raised a hand to her head. The memory felt so new, but if it was back when she was still a human, then how could it not be old? She looked at the ground before smiling lightly. So they had lied about the fact that they had been jumping from host to host, right? Maybe that was why they were a part of her. Maybe they weren't the original Ragnarök and Leaf, but just Ragnarök's promise to be with her until the end, dragging a bit of them with her! She felt tears welling up, but quickly wiped them away. Now was not the time to cry.

She forced herself to stand, but the pain from the memory rocketed back, sending her to the ground with tears coursing down her cheeks. Maybe that memory was the key to unlocking something, but the pain made it hard to figure out. She could recall the crowd and how often she had been hit in front of them. Was that why she had lashed out? Kira figured it was likely, but she was unsure of just how plausible it was. The memory hadn't really told her anything apart from how Ragnarök and Leaf were with her. Maybe... Maybe there would be more to unlock in the future, but she would have to deal with this for now.

Kira laughed and stood, forcing the pain in her body to become null and nonexistent. As she started to head back to town, she could hear footsteps approaching her. She turned quickly, noticing a dark shape moving closer to her at a slow pace. Kira didn't feel threatened by the dark figure at all, but simply saw it as a possible traveler. There was nothing about it that made it seem like an Infected at all.

As it approached, Kira started to feel something a little off about the creature, and slowly backed away from it. But with every step she took backwards, it would move two steps forward, soon covering the distance between them. She looked up at the creature, noticing its dark yet somehow soothing eyes. She wasn't sure why, but it reminded her of Sage in a way, although it stood on four paws instead of two. Now that she thought about it, this creature looked to be wearing some sort of cloak.

It was silent before sighing lightly, cold air mixing with warm and creating a light fog. "You are Kira, the human sent here due to Necrozma, correct?" he asked, to which she then nodded. He sighed lightly before shaking, the cloak sliding off rather quickly and revealing the light brown wolf. From his underbelly to his muzzle and around his eyes was white fur, and a collar made from similar fur surrounded its neck and covered what appeared to be stones. "My name is Aaron; I am a Midday Lycanroc from Post Town. It's great to finally meet another one of your kind. After Shinko disappeared, I feared never seeing one of you again."

Kira was... more than confused by the sudden appearance of the Lycanroc. She hadn't really expected to meet one after Sage, but, well, she was sure there had to have been more out there. Quickly, she shook off the thought and looked at him. "I'm sorry, but I don't exactly understand why you would be looking for me. It's not like I'm exactly anything special, Aaron. I'm just a Snivy trying to save her world. What's special about that?"

"Because I've been looking for adventure for a very, very long time," Aaron responded, sitting in front of her and laughing lightly. "You see, back before you existed, I was an Explorer with my best friend Shinko no Tsubasa. We weren't really known, but there was this big baddy known as Lonliness who wanted to take over our world, and it soon became our mission to stop her! I myself wasn't any use, but Shinko managed to defeat Lonliness on her lonesome, although she often would say that Lonliness changed on her own. But then there was this thing called Kyofu that wanted to take of the world and make them fear him, but, well, the rest is history that you can really only find in an old book or from me." He laughed before shaking his head. "Anyways, I was wondering if you would mind me tagging along on your journey. Ever since the loop had been broken, I was hoping to find something to do for the twenty years left on my life."

And now this was where the confusion just became overwhelming. She backed away slightly as she tried to process what he had been telling her. He had a friend who was the hero to this world because she was rumored to have saved it from darkness, but she had never even heard of a possible thing from Duke. But then again, if Duke had become a former prince and she was now in his place, why couldn't she trust him? It was like this world was just dropping things on her to slow her down.

"I don't see why you couldn't," she told him with a faint smile. "If you really are the friend of someone who saved the world, then I'm sure you are no different from her. You must be really powerful to have kept up and be with her side-by-side against those two enemies!"

"Well, we weren't always together, but that's a story for another day," Aaron said, smiling lightly before he turned his head, the sun now starting to come over the horizon. "Looks like the morning is starting to come. I think it's best if we get away from town before they start to wake up. Not many Pokémon actually know I'm still alive anymore, so I say we just leave this place."

Kira nodded, but then turned to look at the village. She never got to say thank you or goodbye to her friends, but she also hadn't seen Houndour after that thing that she had barely survived. Without muttering a single word, she began to follow Aaron, who brought her to a large field with a tent in the middle of it. There appeared to be no signs of protection, but Kira could tell there was more than met the eye here. It felt like there was something watching them, but Kira couldn't exactly tell what. Maybe a hidden psychic-type or something.

"Welcome to base camp," Aaron told her as he slowly moved towards the camp. "This is where I live when I'm not saving the world or I'm just trying to hide from public view. This place is so well hidden that not even a Lucario could track us here. But then again, the nearby lake emits some sort of protective fog over the area, so we're basically invisible until we exit its range."

"That's pretty cool," Kira whispered, noticing an odd fog covering the area. It was so thin that it was barely noticeable, but there was a mythical feeling about it. She wasn't sure what it was, but something about this fog made her feel like the life was being squeezed from her, only to be forced back. "This is such a weird place," she then pointed out. "The fog looks like mist, but it also feels like something is draining and giving me life force. Can you explain that, Aaron?"

Aaron looked over to her before nodding lightly. "You see, this lake was made by a Pokémon who controlled something we currently call the Flame. It's like aura, except it holds living things together through a connection of the soul rather than by just life force. It powers many Pokémon, but there are some who are practically made of the Flame. Some of us have more than others, and that will allow a lot of us to access something known as the Hyper Mode, which is a stage where the body and mind react as one. It's like being a God, except you're still very much mortal and you aren't the only one who can access it. Unfortunately, I can't access it myself, but Shinko could. I guess that's how she took down Kyofu. They were both insanely powerful, and yet there was nothing left of either. They're both gone now, so that's a story of the past."

Kira nodded lightly and watched as Pokémon started to form in the mist. They were so transparent that it made it rather obvious that they were nothing but just a small illusion. But to her, this felt all too realistic. It felt like she had been here before, but that was impossible. Even if she had her memories, she had come from the human world. How could she visit this place if she was human? Maybe it was because of Leaf or Ragnarök, but how likely was that?

Kira sighed lightly and focused back on the area around her. The odd fog was growing thicker and thicker, but Aaron didn't seem to notice it. Eventually, Kira's vision was completely filled with the odd fog. She tried to find her way though, but without any form of vision, Kira couldn't see anything. That was until light flashed in front of her.

Kira gasped as she landed on her hands and knees, pain once again coursing through her. She looked around once more, finding herself back in the world where her memories were. She was alone this time, although there was a familiar person in front of her. He looked like an older version Ari, but she wasn't exactly able to tell.

"You're such a weak and pathetic rat," he told her, his voice similar to Ari's but deeper. "You really are nothing without Leaf or Ragnarök, aren't you?" He simlply chuckled before kicking up, his foot slamming into her gut and sending her backwards. "Get up and fight! You want to be stronger, don't you?! You can't ever be a good trainer if you're just crying on the floor over every simple hit!"

"Please, you don't have to do this," Kira whispered, forcing herself to stand even through the pain. "I asked to talk, not to fight, Ari." She whimpered and wiped her nose and cheeks of the tears that had begun to stream down. "I just wanted to ask about the Pokémon I saw at your house yesterday, the Snivy. Wasn't that your mother's Pokémon?"

"It was, but it's mine now," Ari said, punching her harshly, but she simply stumbled back, the pain dull compared to the fear. "After she was murdered, I took over everything she had. Dad was so devastated that he just up and abandoned me, taking whatever wasn't a memory of her for his own. And then Juniper offered help, but only the weak will accept it. After all, that's why you want to talk, isn't it? You want to make me look weak!"

"Th-that's not it at all!" Kira said, swiftly moving and grabbing his fist as he punched at her once more. There was a moment of silent before she pushed back, sending him to the floor. "I wanted to say I was sorry about what happened." She smiled and wiped away tears. "I lost both of my parents as well, you know. They were both killed in a car crash when I was young. I never wanted to look at that memory, but seeing as you started to become quiet, I had to look back and tell myself you were suffering too. I don't want to make you look weak, but sometimes even the strongest of people can't do everything on their own. I would know, Ari. I may not look it, but I'm alive because I was strong and I have people who understand me. Please, Ari. let me help you."

The memory then faded only to be replaced by another one. in this one, Kira was back with Leaf and Ragnarök, although Ari was now with them. They looked a bit older, although not by much. It was likely just a few months later compared to the last one. At the moment, they were walking along a street filled with few people but many vendors; it reminded of the aftermath of some sort of festival.

Kira smiled as she looked at the three. Although Ari was still cold to the others, they had grown to be a bit closer than before. As Ari stood, he motioned to Kira to follow him. She then looked at him before smiling and nodding. She said a quick goodbye to Ragnarök and Leaf before she followed after him to behind a nearby building.

Once sure there was no one nearby, Ari took Kira's hand and sighed. "Kira, I have something I need to tell you," he whispered. He was silent for a moment before he sighed. "I should have told you back then, but I was scared of what would happen between all of us. In truth, we can't stay here with you. It has become time for us to finally disappear from this world. Me, Ragnarök, and Leaf have to leave. I'm sorry."

"What are you talking about?" Kira asked, confusion hitting her. "You've been with me for only a few months and you're already abandoning me? I thought we were friends, Ari. I thought I could trust you."

"You can, but I'm putting you in danger by staying near you," Ari responded, his hands now on her shoulders. "Kira, I don't know how long they've been keeping track of me, but every second of me being near you puts you in danger. You won't remember it, so for your safety until that time, don't ever look at us like we're friends, and don't ever talk to us. They won't say it, but it's coming soon. I'm so sorry, Kira."

"Who are they?" she asked, her voice now barely a whisper. "Who's been keeping track of you, Ari? Why wouldn't Ragnarök or Leaf tell me about this before now?" She wiped away tears, pulling away from him. "How can I trust you if they don't tell me? How do I know you're actually telling me the truth?"

"Because you won't remember this, I guess I could tell you," Ari whispered. "Long ago, back before Pokémon took the power they have, there was a group of mages known as the Flame Guard. They were the strongest humans in the world, even capable of taking on Arceus on their own. There were five humans and a Pokémon in the group. The five humans were known for their abilities: Counter, Attack, Balance, Darkness, and Light. And then the Pokémon was known as the first one to be able to match their styles by taking on their Flame into its own body, even able to fuse the battle styles into its own. For years, this power was sent through the generation until the bloodline finally died. But only thirteen years ago did it resurface, in the birth of five new Flame Guards. Me, Leaf, and Ragnarök are three of them, and we're searching for the other two and the Pokémon. But because of that, there was a team that has tried to harvest our power for themselves - the Infected. We're nonstop nomads, searching for our target, only to be chased away by the Infected. Kira, you can't tell anyone this before your memory is wiped. Soon, we will be able to see each other again, but it won't be here in the human world ever again. Please, don't ever talk to us again. I'm sorry, but it's for your personal safety."

Kira looked at him before she hugged him tightly, feeling as he began to fade away in her arms. She begged not to forget; she didn't want to forget the ones who she had grown close to in place of her parents. She felt tears as she fell to the ground, only to look up at the fading form of Ari. He waved before he finally disappeared.

Upon his disappearance, Kira returned to the real world, she was still following Aaron, but the Lycanroc was now looking at her confused. He went to speak to her, but she quickly walked past him, silencing him as she headed to the tent in the middle. She was there in a couple of steps, soon lying down just outside it. It had been a long day and night, and Kira really needed her sleep. The sun was just getting over the horizon fully as she fell asleep. Today was a new and wonderful day.

* * *

Duke groaned as he stretched his wings wide, books lying on the table in front of him as Sage snored away at another table. The two had been up for hours searching for anything that would be of use. Unfortunately, there was absolutely nothing that they could find that had been able to tell them anything.

As Duke was debating to leave, Sage's little device started to beep. The Lycanroc still hadn't woken, so he quickly swiped it, throwing it on the table, which then activated the holographic machine. Unlike last time, a Midday Lycanroc had appeared on the screen.

"This is a message to Sage from his brother," the Lycanroc said quickly before smiling. "It's great to know that you're still alive if this machine is working. I don't know where you are, nor do I care to know, but I have some information regarding the one you were looking for. Kira - the one from the human world, I mean - has apparently been able to recall memories upon meeting me. She's zoned out twice so far, something that I myself did when recalling what I didn't want to know. I haven't told her, nor has she told me that she had remembered anything, but I just wanted to tell you, Sage. But apart from that, I say it's time that we should meet up again. I will await your arrival at our special location: The Flaming Lake. If possible, please bring Duke along. I have already sent a message to Houndour and Duke's parents in case it was anything special. For now, this is Aaron signing off. Don't call me back."

The hologram, upon disappearing, then rocketed back at Duke, although he did manage to catch it since he recalled the events from last night. He sighed and shook his head as he stood from the chair and started to put books back in their shelves. If Kira was beginning to recall things, then maybe they could get more details on the events that were to take place. Heck, maybe the memories may have been coming back to tell her just what she was needing to do to save her world without destroying this one. Duke wasn't sure, but maybe they would be able to help soon enough.

After having put the books away, Duke put the machine on the table and started to shake Sage, who woke after just a few seconds, albeit still drowsy. There was a moment of silence before Sage slapped Duke harshly, which sent him rolling along the floor.

"I told you not to wake me," Sage growled, grabbing the machine before shoving it into his bag. "Well, fuck you anyways." Sage stretched and yawned loudly, kicking his feet up on the table. "What's so important that you had to wake me from my nap, you filthy bird? You hungry or something?"

"Actually, it's about that thing that you had made. You see, I was just doing research when this image of a Midday Lycanroc named Aaron popped up and started to talk about Kira and this Flaming Lake place. He also said that he had messaged Houndour and that he wanted to meet up with you there." Duke left out the part about his parents, though. Because of just that simple term, he was mentally begging not to go.

"That little bastard wants to see me again after not listening to me every other time before?" Sage hissed under his breath. He was silent for a moment before he chuckled. "Fine. I'll go, but I don't want you to come along, Duke. My brother is as big of an asshole as any other Pokémon you can meet, although he is smart when he needs to be. Just stay here in Treasure Town and I won't have to claw your eyes out for disobedience."

"I understand," Duke said, still remaining silent about the truth. "Besides, I'd rather stay here and do research on what needs to be known. Leaving would just ruin that."

Sage was silent for a moment before he shrugged. "Just don't fuck anything up," he growled before he then left, heading towards the beach where he planned to meet with his partner.

With Sage gone, Duke sighed and took a deep breath. He knew he would be found out, but he didn't want to deal with his parents right now. If they found out about what he had done, then he was sure that they would send someone after him. He quickly shook it off, doubting anyone would go to the beach due to his lies, but also blissfully unaware of what was going on. Kira was none of his business at the moment, nor was anything happening to her not related to Houndour.

"Besides, I need to worry about the future instead of the present," he whispered to himself. "There must be a way to save our world from the prophecy on those walls."

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 8: Forgotten Memories P1. I hope you have enjoyed this brief look into Kira's long-forgotten past, as well as the revival of a thought-to-be-dead character. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	10. Chapter 9: Forgotten Memories P2

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

The day was still young when Kira felt a paw on her shoulder. She groaned, slowly opening her eyes and looking up into the bright green of Aaron, a Midday Lycanroc who she still found rather confusing. Around her, the world was shrouded in darkness, but she could tell that it was still morning out. Maybe they were just in one of the tents she had seen yesterday. She was still drowsy, so she couldn't exactly tell if that was true or not.

"Come on," Aaron whispered, licking behind her ears to get her up. "I have someplace to be and I kind of need you to come along with me, Kira. It's rather important, so it's best to get up right now so we can have breakfast."

Kira didn't want to admit it, but now she really wanted to get up and away from him. His odd affection was something that kind of creeped her out, and she could tell that even Ragnarök and Leaf could feel the same thing. Now that she thought about it, neither had spoken since she had seen those visions yesterday. She couldn't be sure if they were real or just her brain trying to make things up, but that wasn't important. What was important was getting up and getting wherever Aaron needed to be.

After a few minutes, Kira found herself outside, snacking on berries that Aaron had likely gathered earlier. On the other hand, Aaron was biting into what Kira could only call a large animal. She couldn't tell if it was Pokémon or something from the human world, but she didn't bother to question him. She was fine with her berries, and she was more than sure that the canine was more than happy with his meat-filled meal.

"So, where is it that we're going?" Kira asked, her eyes on the ground as she tried to avoid looking at him. She was both scared and amazed by him, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something else. He may have seemed normal, but there was something about all that normality that confused her.

"We're going to that lake I told you about yesterday," Aaron responded, pulling away from his meal, which was practically nothing by that point. "I just have a few people I need to meet with, and I think they might have a bit of interest in you as well. After all, you're rather popular in this area, Kira. After that tournament and your defeat of Kiminari, everyone has been trying to learn more about you!"

Kira nodded lightly, still confused by him. She knew that people wanted to know more about her, but no one had ever approached her or asked to come close to her. It wasn't like she didn't want to meet people, but it was just an odd thing to tell her that people wanted to finally meet her after this long. Even then, the only thing more powerful than confusion or the tiny bits of remaining fear was the curiosity to know who wanted to see her.

She quickly shook her head of the thought, then placing the remaining berries on the ground. By the time she had looked up at Aaron, whatever he had been eating was entirely gone, almost as though it had never existed in the first place. Kira wanted to ask what had happened to it, but Aaron was already up and starting to walk towards the forest where the odd mist began to thicken into a dark fog. Kira quickly stood and bolted after him, using her high mobility to catch up quickly.

As she followed him into the forest, a feeling of familiarity crept up on her. She held a hand to her heart and focused ahead, forcing whatever was trying to reach her away. Kira wasn't sure if it was another memory or just Leaf or Ragnarök trying to reach her, but she really didn't want to find out. She was happy with what she knew and felt, so why did that even have to change? With the revival of those memories, Kira felt pressured to do something. She felt like something was missing as well. Even with that on her mind, Kira felt more confused than ever before. No matter how much she wanted to remember, it didn't feel like it was worth it to remember anymore. This was a new life she had to live, even if the old one wasn't that great. From here, she had to save her world, not worry about the past that she had left behind.

"Kira?" Aaron's voice snapped her from her thoughts quickly. Aaron chuckled as he noticed a confused and dazed look in her eyes. "You might want to focus on what's ahead of you instead of what's in your head," he told her, his tail hitting the side of her head. "You might run into a tree if you keep zoning out like that. I don't need you to get a broken nose, kid."

"R-right, sir," Kira responded, shaking her head of whatever remained of her thoughts. Memories were great and all, but not when you were trying to save a world and walk through a foggy forest. "How long do we have until we reach the lake, Aaron? Not too far, I hope."

"Actually, it's only about twenty or thirty meters from here," Aaron responded, laughing as his tail began to wag lightly. "Or twenty-two to thirty-three yards if you don't know how what a meter is." Aaron simply shrugged before chuckling lightly. "I wonder how Houndour will react to knowing I found you. That guy was always so ticked when I found something he had lost."

"I'm not lost!" Kira snapped, puffing her cheeks in annoyance. "I just left him and happened to end up here on accident!" She completely left out the part about her time in Esperanza Village for the night before. "Besides, if he had wanted me to stay, he would have asked. Instead, he just walked away, ordering me to be back there today. Of course, I'm not going to go back. He's such a rude little pup anyways."

Kira simply heard as Aaron chuckled in response. She felt slightly insulted by the chuckle, but didn't speak out against him as they continued through the still-thickening fog. It wasn't long before the feeling of her life being torn and forced into her body began to reach her once more. It wasn't until Kira saw her vision darkening that she actually started to get scared.

There was a moment where everything went dark, right before it came back once more. Kira found herself lying in front of a lake; a Snivy similar to how she looked laid right next to her. Kira felt confusion as she sat up, rubbing her head as she looked around. The fog that had filled forest was still there, but it was practically nonexistent right here around the lake.

"So this is what the memories of you have been like from since you woke up," Leaf whispered in her ear, the green-eyed Snivy appearing from the fog. "I must admit that I hadn't been expecting it, but it feels like this is what happened to my memories as well. I could barely recall anything in the thick haze that was this fog."

"I... don't think this is a memory," Kira whispered as she looked around a bit more. "This place is familiar, but I know I've never been here before. This sense of familiarity isn't my own, but someone else's. I'm not sure of who's, but it _is_ from someone in me."

"Actually, it can't be," Ragnarök said as he too formed. "We're the only two inside you, Kira. Unless someone managed to sneak in when we were finding you as our capsule, I don't see how anyone would be in here." He was silent before he shook his head. "I just wish I could remember what happened in the past! This thick fog is tearing everything away!"

Kira understood how he felt. Every second they remained there, the weaker that she felt. She sighed and stood, stepping closer to the lake with a bold look in her eyes. She could feel confusion radiating from Leaf and Ragnarök as she stepped into the lake, but it was all blocked out as the confusion was torn away by pain. Every step into the water was like stepping on a bed of nails, only they went deeper and broke every bone they touched as she moved further.

Kira could hear cries coming from Leaf and Ragnarök, but she knew they couldn't stop her as she continued further into the water, right until the water was at her waist. From there, she couldn't move any further, nor did she want to. Her body looked down into the water, which was swimming with what appeared to be memories from her past. The ripples from her body unconsciously moving kept her from seeing anything properly, but she could just about make up scenes from the last memories she recalled.

"These... these are my memories," she whispered, the pain tearing through her as she tried to keep them together. No matter how hard she tried, they continued to ripple and slip away. "This lake... This lake has a connection to my human past, doesn't it? Why can't I remember anything?! Why won't you let me remember?!" Tears began to stream down Kira's face and into the water. Kira stayed there for what felt like hours before she felt something gripping her shoulder. She turned, coming face-to-face with her Snivy self.

"You don't have to worry about the past, Kira," she told herself, a faint smile on her lips. "What's important is the present and the future. We only look at the past so not to repeat the same mistakes we had done before, but this is a new world for you, Kira. Don't try and recall the humanity you once had. Recall this world's past, not your own. You'll recall everything when you need to. Now, let us wake from this simple dream. The future is soon, Kira. And so is your final decision."

Kira looked at herself before shaking her head. "But... what about what I do recall. What about Ari? What about Leaf and Ragnarök. I can't forget those memories. I just want to continue this, but I can't help but feel it's all worthless. I feel... no matter what route I choose, someone's going to lose everything."

"You say it like it's important," the Snivy chuckled, moving away from her. "Kira, you think everything in this world is done by our fate, when it's really done by our choices in the moment. You can pretend that you want to save everyone, but know that this is what will get everyone in the worlds we're in killed. Kira, you'll have to make a decision. The fate of your world and this one are upon your shoulders. You can't keep them on you forever, Kira. Soon, your decision will come. Save your world and return like nothing had ever happened on that island, or let it burn and stay here without your past."

She wasn't exactly sure how to respond to what she had told herself, but Kira knew she couldn't ponder on it for very long. As she was about to speak back, she fell limp, falling back into the chilling and painful water. She watched the surface before she finally closed her eyes, faintly smiling as she returned to the waking world.

Kira slowly opened her eyes as she woke up, the sun baring down upon her in an unfamiliar part of the forest. She kept staring up until she heard footsteps. Slowly, she managed to turn her head and catch a glance at Houndour and Aaron, as well as a male Pidgeot and female Unfezant behind them. There was also another figure hiding behind them, but Kira's vision was too blurry to make out the Pokémon.

"So this is the one you wanted to meet us about?" the Pidgeot mumbled, his voice old yet powerful. "I can see why you wouldn't want to care for such a thing, especially after what their race has caused us. But why call us because she had found the black opal? Until Duke is found dead, she will be no heir of ours."

"That's the thing about what I came here to tell you," Sage's voice growled from behind him. The Midnight Lycanroc snarled as he moved closer. "You said she is no heir of yours, right? Well, if my guess is right, that necklace is a sign of royalty and the rightful heir to the throne. No matter who wears it, she's meant to be if she found it, isn't she? Now, if we're past that damn subject, let's get on to more important matters. One of which is finding a way to stop our worlds from dying!"

"You say it as though there is another factor in play here, sir," Unfezant told him, her voice calm and sweet. "We all know of the prophecy Xatu had sent to the former king and queen, but he said nothing of there being multiple factors. Even if there were, what could we do about it? The prophecy wasn't ours to receive. The archives told us that, Mister Sage."

"But you know of the dangers more than anyone," Aaron told them, turning away from Kira as she became fully aware of her surroundings. "You have the scripts for the future thanks to Arceus, don't you? Why don't you share with us what your heir will need to know if she is to save the world from destruction. Her own world is dying, but I don't want to die without purpose either. Every time I looked death in face, I was brought back to life because my time wasn't up. I want to finally die, but I won't until the loop has finally been erased. It still remains, and it will until one of two things happens: her own world ends, or you give up on being selfish bastards wanting to kill Ari and help send her back."

"You think we aren't tired of hunting for that bird?" Pidgeot mumbled. "When we learned of what had happened, we had given up any hope and just wanted to rule with peace and hope. But without a goal, what's the point of being a leader? Besides, we're not sticking around to see the fate of this Snivy. Now, what's the real reason you gathered us here, Aaron? Or are you just going to run away with your tail between your legs again?"

Aaron was silent before he chuckled and simply shrugged them off. "Well, might as well get to the real point of gathering you here together." Aaron quickly glanced around before closing his eyes. "I need your help to get rid of the Dark One. I know that's what we've been trying to do so for years now, but I believe Kira may be able to lure him out of hiding. And with that, I also have a theory about how we are to get rid of the Infected. We already know that taking down the leader will eliminate the virus in whoever they infected, so what if we took out where it came from? Then maybe everything would return to normal!"

"I agree, but there's a small problem with your plan," Houndour said. "We have no idea where this Infection began, and we still have no idea who's leading it. We thought it was Necrozma, but how would he be able to control them as he tore through worlds and fed off of their light? If he was gone for even a second, wouldn't it all just come crashing down? And besides, who's powerful enough to control hundreds of Pokémon without revealing themselves?"

"And that's where my guess comes in," Aaron said with a light chuckle. "You remember that story of the Pokémon who nearly destroyed the world because of the darkness within the hearts of Pokémon?" He waited for any sign of acknowledgment, but Sage was the only one who nodded. "Well, I have a reason to suspect that he's doing something similar, but he's using Fear instead of the darkness. That's why that red aura appears around each of the Pokémon. That red aura is a Fear he placed within them, which is why even I often mixed it up for overflowing Flame. The auras are too similar to tell apart, and even Duke could tell you that. That was, if he was here as I had asked you, Sage."

"So you're blaming the guy who _heard_ from Duke about your message?" Sage growled, stepping closer. "You can't blame me for what I heard! I was still having my beauty rest when you called! Duke answered, not me! I had no idea that he was supposed to come, Aaron, so don't you fucking point any of your claws at me and say I messed up! It's your fault!"

"Boys! Stop this!" Kira shouted as she pushed herself to her feet, the others glancing at her as she finally stood, looking half dead by that point. "We get it that you're both screw-ups and that you both positively hater each other, but can we please stop and try to think about this rationally? What are we even doing here? And why are we even talking about these useless topics?"

Aaron sighed lightly and looked at the ground, likely ashamed of himself. Sage, on the other hand, looked like his pride had been hurt by the short burst of words coming from her. Even then, neither really seemed to care about what she had said. They just seemed to be annoyed while having their own reaction to it as well.

"She has a point, but why don't we just get rid of what she _needs_ to know first?" Houndour said, stepping closer with a light chuckle. "So we know that she has to find three champions and take them down to unlock the way to Necrozma, which might be where Kyofu or whoever it is controlling the Infected might be waiting since we all know they both want to destroy the world. And then we know that Kira will have to get rid of one world to go wherever she wants, but how will that decide anything? And then we also know that Necrozma is growing stronger the more light he absorbs, meaning we have a limited amount of time until he becomes invincible! What the hell are we supposed to do then?! We're already knee-deep in muddy water and we can only go down from here! Give me something that can actually bring us up from here!"

"We... We actually know where these three guardians could be hiding," Pidgeot said, turning and looking at them. "Our library holds records from even the beginning of time, and so we could find something there. The only problem is that the section where it could be is sealed off to anyone without the blood of royalty. Not only that, but the books and any information relating to them can't be removed by anyone, not even us. I'm sorry, but only Duke could help you with this. We're too old for this now."

"I... What if I went in instead?" Kira mumbled lightly, stepping forward with fake pride. "I may not be royal, b-but I can be an heir to the throne! If that isn't royalty enough, then the rules you follow are a bit too strict to the Pokémon of this world! What if a generation can't have a child and must adopt, or, like Duke, they leave because they can't handle the pressure? I might be your only key to figuring out how to stop all of this! And we can't worry about the world-ending decision just yet! For all we know, it could be a hoax used to deter me from the truth! We can save both worlds from this destruction! I can go home, a-and you can continue your lives here, right? Right, Sage?"

Sage was silent before he shrugged, starting to walk away from them. "Don't get me caught up in a bunch of shit I wouldn't care about," he growled, flexing his claws. "You can save the world, but I have things I want to do before I eventually die from a heart attack during a battle in that tournament I love so much. Now, don't call me, and don't ever try to find me. If you do, I will personally tear you limb from limb until you're nothing more than the remains of a chew toy." Sage glared at them once more before he left, his claws glistening before disappearing into the thick fog.

Aaron sighed as his brother left, then glaring at Kira. "You don't understand the danger you would be putting yourself into, Kira. You should leave this fight to the adults. Even if it is your fate, you will never be able to stand on par with beasts like Necrozma or Kyofu. They're too powerful in their final forms."

"And do I look like I care about any of that?" she responded, clenching her fist before raising a hand to her heart. "I have billions of lives on my hands, no matter which path I choose to walk. Either I leave what I had love to die, or I look at this and pretend it was all normal. Aaron, what do you think someone like me would choose? Their friends and people who constantly lied to her? Or the people who raised and protected her when she had nowhere to run? Aaron, give me one good reason to back down now. I know I what I want, but do you?"

Aaron to admit that he had been caught off guard by her response, but it was Houndour who spoke back, saying, "So you want to return home and leave those who made you stronger, huh? What about those limit-breakers that you were able to access? What about this power you hold in your hands?! If you go back to the human world, you will never have this power again! Your training will be for nothing!"

"Actually, from the very beginning, it mattered as much as the oxygen we breathe," Kira said, sighing lightly. "Those limit-breakers... are the spirits of my friends before they died right in front of me. Leaf and Ragnarök were the only people who stood up for me until I realized who I was meant to be! I was meant to be hurt because I was meant to understand! I don't like fighting, Houndour! And you should have seen that when I went in. I did it so you wouldn't have to! But then you went and betrayed me, leaving me to be attacked and then almost attacking me yourself! So you have no say in this, you pathetic dog!"

Houndour flinched back at her sudden outburst. He sighed before he turned and padded away, leaving Kira with Aaron and the current rulers of this land. They looked a bit scared of her, but her words seemed to have affected them a little, even if not much. Kira wasn't even sure what she had just shouted at them about, but she knew that it was enough to get them to be silent for a couple of minutes.

"If anyone has anything else to say, I recommend you say it before we finally stop this and start moving on with what we were meant to do," Kira whispered, standing with a dark glint in her eyes. They all remained silent, to which she then chuckled at, the glint fading and her eyes returning to normal. "Now, can we please go to that library of yours? I don't want to miss out on anything before we have to fight for our lives."

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 9: Forgotten Memories P2. I hope you have enjoyed this fun peak into what could be the future. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	11. Side Chapter 1: The First Flame Guard

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
Side Chapter Edit: Well, what a fun thing. Let's go off the rails and into the past, huh? Let's go... to before this became a reality.  
Reminder: This is well before execution was really outlawed in the land. It is also when Kings had full control of whatever they wanted. So, that was fun._

Leaf snarled lightly as she raised a hand, flames slamming into it from an unseen attacker. As soon as the flames stopped, she turned, raising her second hand and trapping a red-haired male in a bunch of roots. She laughed lightly before she turned, throwing him in front of her with enough force to break his bones. At least, if he had been human. But neither of them were humans. At least, they didn't have the same rules as them.

"You're getting better at your style, but you're too predictable when you attack," Leaf said, her voice thick with an Irish accent. Moving some of her hair from her eyes, she reached out a hand to the male. "Stand up, Ragnarök. The war is soon and we don't have a moment to waste. Mr. Kyofu said he needed training done by midnight, and it's almost such a time." She laughed lightly as she grabbed him and pulled him up. "And we still need to find Ari too. The others should already be at the castle."

Ragnarök nodded and pulled away, rubbing his pale wrist as his eyes flared with what appeared to be fire. "You know we can't just trust the king, right?" His British accent was thick, almost like it was all he had heard and spoken his entire life. "King Kyofu may have saved ya, but he can't be trusted. He isn't like us, Leaf. He is human, not a Flame Guard. And what about Kira? She's been missing for months now! He's gonna be quite ticked!"

"And so we won't tell him anything about her disappearance," Leaf told him, putting her hands behind her head. "You know she hasn't been seen for years in that stupid chamber, so we can just try and pretend that she wasn't going to come and we could relay the message to her. He'll believe us; he has in the past."

"Well, that was back when Kira was suffering from that curse from... I think it was Arceus," Ragnarök responded. "She should be fine by now, right? I mean, I know she has a weak system and all, but we can't just use that as cover for her all the ti-"

"Shut your pretty mouth," Leaf hurriedly hushed, then stepping away and towards the castle. "If you keep talking, it will be you who ends up not being here for a very obvious health reason. Now, let us go and talk to the king before we get our asses kicked out of the village."

Ragnarök was silent before he sighed and nodded, walking after her as he shoved his hands in his pockets. Sure, everything had been going downhill for the past three or so years, but they were just as strong and respected as before. Well, they were, but Kira had been missing for a bit too long. They were sure she was fine, but she was always a bit reckless when it came to these kinds of things. Hopefully she would be back soon. Ragnarök was actually starting to miss her.

Shaking his head quickly, Ragnarök fell in line behind Leaf. It wasn't long before they had entered a rather large room, lavish paintings and pictures hanging upon the great walls of stone and gold. Ragnarök had to admit he was jealous, but this room had always unnerved him for some reason. He wasn't sure why, but it just did. He knew it happened to Leaf and Ari as well, but he wasn't sure who else suffered the odd feelings.

After quite a long moment of silence, the doors behind them opened once more. He turned and faced the two newcomers, the "twins" Duke and Ari. They had been part of the Flame Guard for quite a while now, but they were still a bit new to the rules, hence how they still wore the armor of Knights instead of a royal-man. Well, at least they even had clothes to begin with. Ragnarök still wore clothes like he had when he had been a scout for the old king, which was to say nothing but what was considered poor in this country.

"So, you have finally come," a dark shadow whispered from upon a large chair near the windows of the room. "Well, I won't say that I was surprised you four would be here, but Kira hasn't arrived yet. I am disappointed in her and that Pokémon she found. They have never appeared at a meeting before now, have they? Not since the old king died, right? Why is that? Does she not enjoy the missions I give you?"

"Sir, she just has a few very important things going on is all," Duke said, stepping forward with a bright smile. "Ever since her mother died and her father disappeared, she's been struggling to find a proper foothold, and she's only been alive so far because she's been taking missions from other kings and villagers around the country. Sir, she's completing your missions because she needs the money, not because she has to. Her family is dying. She is the last of her bloodline. She can't risk her life like she used to anymore."

"I don't care," the man told him, standing and moving closer. Even with the light filtering in, his robe hid his body from head to toe. "She is a Flame Guard member, not some sort of assailant or whatever. She can't just do what she wants, even for herself. If she's the last of her kind, I'll find her a suitable husband. What else would she want that I can't provide? She is a member of our group - to our people as a protector! Why can't she see that?"

"I do, but I don't care for the people as much as you do." Kira sighed as she fell from the roof, landing with a light thud. "Sorry about being late, but I still had to pay my respects to the... final member of our group." Kira raised her head, her eyes bloodshot and cheeks stained with old tears.

"What... What happened to Duality?" Leaf whispered to her, fear gripping her at how Kira spoke. "You said she was fine last time we called for you. Did something happen that you didn't alert us about? Why didn't you tell us?"

"More worried about that brave fool, huh?" Kira smiled and wiped away her tears, letting her arms rest under her cloak. "We were ambushed by a bunch of crooks. Because of her, I managed to escape; I found her dead three days later. I'm sorry to say, but the Flame Guard is back down to five, and it's about to be four." She sighed and looked at the dark man. "King Kyofu, I wish to leave the Flame Guard as it's Counter stylist. This life is not mine to live."

The man was silent before he sighed and crossed his arms. "I know you are struggling, Kira, but I cannot allow you to leave this clan of ours," he told her, his voice stern and determined. "You are the one who holds us together, and you are the reason they were even brought together. If you quit, then the team falls apart. What then, Kira? Who will protect the land?"

"Mercenaries like us," Kira responded, looking at him with bold eyes. "W-we are not a family because of blood, but because of who we are separately. Even if I left, they would still be their own Flame Guard. I am sorry, sir, but I can't stay here."

Kyofu didn't respond, and instead walked closer to her. His eyes glowed red, showing his anger. "You can't leave," he told her, his hands behind his back. "If you leave, I will have the men you have trained so diligently hunt you down and kill you, Kira. You know the laws of this land. You know that you can't just leave."

Kira was silent for a moment before she sighed and looked at him. "Then you'll have to kill me where I stand, Kyofu," she snarled, her fists clenched. "I'm going to leave, whether you like it or not. I'll kill my own students, if it means I live the life I want. My bloodline is dead, Kyofu. I'm the only Counter left, and you'll have to kill me if you want to take away my freedom."

"I understand," Kyofu said, his eyes taking on a golden tint as he smirked. 'Arceus." Kyofu suddenly raised his hand, smirking darkly as he then lowered it and looked at Kira. "You wanted death, and Arceus has granted you such a bliss," he whispered. "I hope you get what you deserve, Kira. A traitor's honorable death. What a fun sight."

Kira was silent for a moment before she smiled. "And what a funny way to die it was," she responded. "Maybe one day, my blood will come back, Kyofu, and it'll get the revenge we all want. I hated you from the beginning, Kyofu. I hated your God. Long live Mother Mew." Kira smiled fainly before she fell back, hitting the ground with a thud that no one had expected.

"You... You..." Leaf grit her teeth before she glared at Kyofu. "YOU JUST KILLED KIRA, YOU BASTARD! What the hell do you think you're doing, Kyofu?! She needed to put on trial, not killed! We aren't like the others! We are a nation of trust and justice, and you just broke it..."

"I don't care," Kyofu responded, red flames surrounding his fist. "You never understood the pain of being a man who has to protect his home. I never went to war because of you. I never killed because of you. I now see that war is the only answer to this world. I will kill every man, child, and wife in this world. And I will do it, with or without you."

Ragnarök was the first to step forward, his fist clenched as Flame erupted around him. "Sir, I recommend you surrender before I have to use even half of my strength. You know you can't beat the Beast of Destruction in the state you're in. You'll get yourself killed."

"Said the petty little beast you can't see." Kyofu smirked and opened his hand, suddenly flipping it over and raising his palm. His laugh rang out as what seemed to be nothing shot from the ground, Ragnarök freezing and his Flame dying out after only seconds. "You'll fall, just like Kira and Duality did. My plan is coming along just great because of you. And now, it is time to get rid of simple hurdles in the plan."

Leaf was silent for a moment before she raised an arm, a sword appearing in her hand. "Well, fine then," she told him as she lowered her arm, turning the blade and showing him the sharp edge. "Don't think you can kill me like you killed Ragnarök or Kira. You know I'm the Balance specialist, so try me."

Kyofu smirked and repeated what she had done, his own sword forming in his own hand. He sighed lightly before he shot forward. As expected, Leaf countered him, using her own blade to push his down and slash. Her own attack had missed him, but he hadn't hit her at least.

"You know, you're a lot faster than I remember," Leaf said, turning and holding her blade and making him strike it instead of her. "I guess that's what happens when you're possessed. Your body is being pushed beyond its old age, isn't it? I can't tell who, but your golden eyes are giving it away." She smirked before she disappeared, slashing as she appeared behind him and landing a clear hit on his calf. "Next time, try harder, fool."

Kyofu growled and pulled away from her, standing even as his leg bled and his muscles tore themselves apart. He seemed to be struggling to stand now, but he was still managing to fight even after her hit. Then again, why was she able to counter and fight so well? She may have been the Balanced style, but she was fighting as though both Kira and Ragnarök were fighting along with her. How was that?

He didn't let it bother him as the wound healed rapidly, giving him his full strength in mere moments. Upon healing, he dashed at Leaf. As expected, she countered, but she failed to move as he stopped his blade and the momentum in his body carried him. Her sword tore through his chest as his sword shattered her own, allowing him to swing and tear through her as she had done to him.

"Wh-what?" she gasped, her head pounding as she looked down at the blade running through her gut. She froze, fear filling her very being as Kyofu chuckled. "You... You managed to break my sword? But... that's not possible. You... You cheated... somehow."

"Well, you did find out that your precious king was possessed," he whispered, licking his lips as he pulled away, and insane smile and look on his face. "Tell me, Leaf. How does it feel to know that you being correct ended with your death? How does it feel to know you just killed your best friends?"

"Just fine with me," Duke spoke out, his voice calm and collected. He stepped forward as Kyofu stepped back. "Listen, sir. I know you're upset and all, and that you're more of an Arceus person that the others, but you don't have to kill them. We follow the same rules the lowest people do, and we'll happily follow them for longer. But I see that you don't care for them, so I won't care either. You just messed up, sir. You just messed everything up."

Duke sighed and unclipped his robe, letting it fall to the ground as Ari stood beside him, doing the same as his friend. As much as they disliked each other in public, they were brothers in battle, and they were a lot stronger than the others he had faced, although only when they had worked together. Kyofu seemed to realize this and stepped back before letting his own robe fall to the ground.

Duke and Ari glared at Kyofu for a moment before their own Flames erupted around them. Duke became encased in a bright white while Ari was surrounded by black. Kyofu soon followed, now being surrounded by a scarlet aura. They were silent until Kyofu rocketed forward.

He went for Duke first, only phase through the male and land on the ground. He growled and stood, turning as both of them swung, their fists meeting his gut at the exact same time. He was sent flying backwards and through a wall, blood coming from his mouth as he landed on the ground. The attack had been rough, but he was quick to stand once more, something healing him once more.

His golden eyes watched the duo for a moment before blades formed in his hands. He dashed forward, slashing from the sides of both at a breakneck pace. Ari had been fast enough to dodge, and Duke wasn't hit as the blade went straight through him, as though unaffected unless Ari had also been hit - that was likely only if they could be hit at the same time.

Kyofu reacted calmly as they swung at him once more. This time, though, he was ready for them. He strafed to the right, ending up with only Duke making contact. because Ari hadn't at the same time, the attack went straight through, leaving a smirking Kyofu.

"Both of you can burn in Hell." With a single swift movement, the rocks from below their feet suddenly shot up. No sound followed as every bit of Flame died down in the room, even Kyofu's. "Heh. Heh." His breathing was heavy as the castle slowly began to fall apart. "The first ever Flame Guard, dead," he whispered. "They were never meant to be born, and I will make every reincarnation pay for their treachery against me. I will kill every single one, even if I must make my children tear through their worlds."

For years to come, the people were ruled by a dictator, a king without anything to hold him back. The Flame Guard became nothing but a legend only years later, and along with it, Kyofu's true self. The people of the country and the many people around him had become terrified of his massive power, trying whatever they could to make him happy, only to die in the end.

One thing that remained, though, was the fact that the Flame Guard's blood could never die. They had never been someone of blood, but of choice. And with each reincarnation came another challenge that forced the next to become even stronger than the last. But even strength can't compare to someone with powers like a God. But they would always become stronger and try to find a weakness.

Even then, every reincarnation of them was hunted down by someone named Kyofu, and his eyes were always that cold golden glare. Why they were always the same, not even a God could tell them, but it became clear this circle would never stop. That was until the fourteenth Flame Guard finally received a prophecy. It was written upon a cave wall, although it was only hope that the future would be able to some day change.

"A human will be summoned to our world, and with her will come the gift of Flame. Her life will keep those who hold the Flame alive, but even she won't survive the slaughter against their kind. She must find the cause behind our greatest enemy and take it out, but many things will try and stop her. These Infected beasts followed us from our own dimension to this one. I think someone might be assisting Kyofu, if not still possessing the thing meant to kill us. For now, we can rest, but not long. Kyofu was taken out by some sort of Pokémon, an angel from our sources. But he'll be back soon enough. He can't die like we can. Only the beginner of the Flame Guard can kill him. Only she can take away the Fear that drives Kyofu and his name. I don't know how much longer I have here, but I can only say that I beg she takes him out before he becomes immortal. For now, I just hope to survive. This is goodbye, my friends."

The note had been written in books, sent across the world by an unknown publisher, but no one had ever found it. But fifteen years later, many years after their death, a human found the book in her backyard. She was an orphan, one only known because she was capable of fighting back against those who had bullied her. But by then, it was much too late for her to need it. She already knew the truth, and had burned the book without a second thought. Her memories had remained in tact, although for only a few weeks.

For a long time, it was thought that the Flame Guard had died, but now it was back. With three knowing members together, the Flame Guard's power had once against become what it had once been. There was a member there who didn't know, and one was already dead. Even then, the darkness was only growing. Unlike the first, they had more enemies than ever before. If they were to take out the beast that had harmed the past and would haunt the future, they would need to be stronger than ever, even if it meant having to tear apart those they loved.

 _Side note: Well, for once, I think I might as well make this chapter a thing. I've been debating it for a long time now, and it's a really great outcome. In my eyes, that is. Anyways, I'm back in school, so story might be a bit slow. Well, at least I've been/will be working on it whenever I can. Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, as well as a look into the first ever Flame Guard and into... other things. And remember: if you have any questions or see anything wrong, don't forget to speak up! For now, this is Moonstruck-Mist signing off. Peace!_


	12. Chapter 10: Seperation

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

'What was going on with that child?' That was the question running through Aaron's head as they followed the Queen and King to their palace, which, luckily, wasn't that far. He had kept his eye on her the entire time of the run, but her bright orange eyes looked peaceful and sweet, unlike what they had looked like in that foggy place. He was sure it was probably just a result of extended exposure to the fog, but he couldn't be sure. Her flame had suddenly exploded, even tearing apart the lake's own; it was calm now, though, so he stopped worrying as much.

Aaron quickly shook his head and began to slow as the palace came closer and closer. He wasn't exactly sure why, but the old and mystic feel about it felt somewhat familiar. It felt like that one time he had gone to that cave, only to be captured by the forces sent by that creature he could barely remember now. His question was why it felt like that, though. Was there something there that had come from that cave? If so, what was it?

"You seem distracted, Aaron," Kira said as she slowed next to him, keeping up with a short burst of speed every once in a while. "If you want to go home, I wouldn't mind it. Besides, what business would you have here? I doubt you've ever been to this castle, so what would its importance be to someone like you?"

"That's something I want to ask as I search around the place," Aaron mumbled to her, his voice low so the royal birds wouldn't hear him. "There might be something there linked to my past, and I kind of want to find it so that I can put my curiosity to rest. Shinko would have done the same thing, I'm sure. After all, she was bold and willing to sacrifice herself for what she thought was right. That was why... That's why I'm even here today."

Kira nodded in response, smiling faintly as she continued to follow. She looked down until they approached a rather large gate. Kira and Aaron came to a stop at it, looking up as the massive gate reached for the sky. Well, it was only about thirty or so feet high, but it was still massive compared to both of them.

Kira, being filled with interest, moved forward and placed a hand on the cold steel that made up the gate. "It feels like ice," she whispered lightly, shivering as she moved back. "But why would it feel like that. It isn't cold out here, so why does it feel frozen? Is there something on the opposite side?"

"Actually, these bars were made with the remnants of Kyurem's ice crystals embedded into the bars," Pidgeot setting down on the opposite side of them. "The bars were unable to handle the flames of some Pokémon, and so that was when we began searching for ways to stop that. We then found out about Kyurem's ice, which actually managed to somehow nullify the flames. That's why the bars are so cold."

"That's not what I heard about Kyurem's ice, but I guess not all facts can be trusted," Aaron mumbled, gripping the bars in his maw and pulling. The faint sound of ice shattering reached their ears, and the bar was then pulled clean from its place. "Try finding something that can bend. Pokémon can easily shatter these with enough force if they wanted."

Pidgeot glared at him before turning and hopping away. Kira and Aaron followed after, using the small space between the bars to fit through. At least the broken one had given them enough room to actually make it. They both had to admit that the other spaces were noticeably smaller, and probably too tight for them to squeeze through. Once on the other side, though, they quickly followed after Pidgeot.

The bird remained silent as he led them through the grounds and to a building all the way in the back. The building looked old enough to be considered a relic, but Pidgeot didn't seem to think so. He pushed the door open rather quickly, likely due to how the door hung on hinges that were probably cared for tenderly. Kira really had no idea, but she shook it off as they followed him into the large building.

The inside of the building seemed rather new. It was lit by candles, but Kira could just make out several chandeliers above that would light the place if it was needed. Other than that, Kira could make out what seemed to be hundreds of bookshelves stretching into the darkness, which even the candles further in couldn't light. It looked so ancient, but it was so much like the present day. Kira couldn't help but feel a bit of joy at the massive amount of books they had here.

"Welcome to the Ancient Library," Pidgeot mumbled to them, skipping past the entrance and stopping as he crossed a bright white line. "This place has been home to the secrets of Pokémon for millions of years, teaching every king and queen the truth of the history before them. Even now, the books here are being constantly updated and rewritten to keep up with time as it occurs." He then turned and looked at them. "If you mess anything up, I will have you sent straight to the dungeon. Kira, follow me. Aaron, don't do anything I wouldn't do."

Aaron sighed and rolled his eyes as Kira left, following after Pidgeot as he brought her deeper into the library. He remained silent for most of the way, but Kira could tell he was struggling to not speak. Kira wanted to ask what was wrong, but she didn't want to upset him. She could already guess that he had been upset when Duke had left, but this was just odd to her. Maybe... Maybe there was something else about this that she didn't know about. Maybe he was just trying not to snap at her for coming when she had? Kira shook her head at the thought. After all, the only important thing was continuing on, not bothering with the past.

After a few more moments of silence, Pidgeot eventually stopped Kira in front of a large vault-like door. He motioned for her to come closer, which she then did. "You know, once I allow you in here, you have officially become the heir," he told her, grabbing the gem and pulling her to a small slot in the door. "That is, if it really accepts you and your blood."

Kira nodded in understanding, moving closer as he pushed the gemstone into the small slot. Pain suddenly coursed through Kira, but she was forced to remain silent as something paralyzed her. Voices screamed within her head, begging for someone to stop what they were doing. But Kira knew she couldn't stop, mainly because she couldn't move, but also because it was Pidgeot's doing. That was when she heard the loudest scream of all, gasping as she fell back and to the rough floor.

"What an odd sight," Pidgeot mumbled as Kira rubbed her head. "The door opened, but it didn't even flicker like it used to for Duke." Pidgeot turned and looked at her, a glint of hatred in his eyes. "You really must be determined to return home if it unlocked so easily for someone with your pathetic blood. I'll leave you to your business, but don't you dare ruin a single thing. If you do, I'll make sure you pay for it, Snivy."

"The name's Kira," she returned, standing and walking over to the vault door, which had swung open some time as she had fallen to the ground. "Still, I understand if you're upset with me, sir. I just want to save the people that I know the best. Being here has taught me many things, yes, but I was never meant to come here. I was always weak, sir. I just can't leave home behind."

"I understand, but sometimes the smartest decision is to move past what you used to know and do what you do know," Pidgeot told her. "I know you don't remember your old life - news spreads fast here, young child. Maybe you should look around and see how much you've grown here instead of looking back and telling yourself home is best. After all, you're a princess now. Isn't that enough to be happy?"

"Home is where the heart is," Kira told him, chuckling lightly as he growled in response. "I may have made amazing friends here, but I don't want to stay here, sir. I'll visit whenever I can, but I belong in the human world, not the Pokémon one. After all, humans have been extinct here for ages, right? My kind don't belong here. We upset the balance the world makes on its own."

Pidgeot was silent for a moment before scoffing loudly. "Then read through whatever you want," he told her, hopping away now. "When you see the truth of what your actions could cause, maybe you'll change your mind. After all, humans don't belong, but are you a human here? And what says that you'll return to human upon entering the human realm? You might be stuck like this, after all."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take to see what I have left there," Kira told herself, turning way and jumping through the vault door. "I was born there, and that's where my heart will forever lay. I may love this place, but it's about as foreign as it gets. I belong in the human world, not this one."

Kira shook her head and raised it, looking around at the small room she was now in. The room, much like the main library, was lit by candles, although these ones seemed to have been burning for years. They looked so worn, and yet they were still so bright and warm. Not only that, but Kira could also feel the age as though she was the candle itself. It felt weird, but she didn't mind. After all, being one with your surroundings made it a lot easier for you to tell if something was off.

As she was looking around, Kira came across some rather old books. They looked like they would turn to dust if she even touched them, but upon closer inspection, they were just covered in dust themselves. She simply shrugged and grabbed one with " ︎□︎⧫︎ ︎●︎●︎ ︎❒︎ ︎ ⧫︎ ︎ ︎ ⬧︎ ︎❍︎ ︎" written in bold black ink in on the cover.

"What a weird font," Kira told herself as she sat back, placing the book on the ground. Luckily, the inside was written in Unknown, which she was actually used to reading thanks to Xatu. "He sure was a weird trainer, but I guess he did something right every once in a while," she reminded herself. "Especially with his survivalist and literature training."

Kira scanned through the pages for anything interesting, although she could only really just about make out passages about legendries and humans having once came to the world. She wasn't really interested in that, but as she was about to close the book, a familiar word popped up in the text: Kyofu. Hadn't Houndour told her that name when they had met in the forest? Or was it when they were at that lake?

Shaking her head, Kira began to read the text aloud. "Kyofu was a beast few knew of, and even fewer had seen, only having been seen by two recorded eyewitnesses, one of which is still alive to this day. This beast was known for being able to access something known as Meteor Darkness, which even the royals before had never heard of. This force allowed Kyofu to control Pokémon without them even realizing it, although one had managed to break free when she saw the light of day. But after his defeat, it appeared that he was finally gone, along with the second eyewitness, presumed dead by all but the second witness; however, recent events have led many to believe that he is alive and well, especially after the attacks of Skarmory on Treasure Town and Torterra on Lively Town. It appears his name, meaning Fear, has finally allowed him to access the red aura often known as Flame. Flame on its own is already incredibly powerful, but research has shown that mixing it with Fear can drive a Pokémon to a forced Breakthrough of over ten-thousand percent, although this state has been accessed before by royals and similar figures. It is also believed that Kyofu had made generals to fight anyone who was trying to stop him or the one who had started this all: Necrozma. The steel guardian is believed to be hidden in a cave hundreds of miles beneath the surface, almost where no Pokémon can live. The Ghost and Psychic also appear to be in unreachable places, one in the sky near Sky Tower and the other on the toughest mountain in the world, which is often called Mount Travail by many explorers and travelers. The generals themselves have lived in secret for so long that no one in the records has ever managed to even get one down or even learn what species one may be. But soon, we believe a hero may find and defeat them, ridding that area of the Infection forever. End of Chapter."

Kira was silent for a moment before she chuckled to herself. She hadn't actually expected this much information, but it gave her reason enough to believe that Kyofu may have been the one that she had to defeat if she was to face off against Necrozma. The problem was the guardians, but something told her this much information was enough. Then again, the fact that Mount Travail was home to one actually scared her. She wasn't sure why, but that place brought up memories of Xatu. She couldn't truly come to believe it, but perhaps he was the general of the Infected in the area as the book had stated.

"But... I don't want to believe it," she told herself as she closed the book, keeping a mental idea of where the generals were likely hiding. "Why did they call them guardians and generals with lowercases? Is it because they aren't proper titles or something?" Kira shrugged it off, forcing herself to step out of the vault. "Well, that doesn't matter. What matters is finding and fighting them with all my might and hope."

As she walked back through the library to the entrance, she thought she could hear arguing coming from one of the rows on her right. Curious, she silently walked over, peeking her head around the corner and noticing Duke and the Unfezant talking with what they thought were hushed voices.

"Duke?" Kira asked as she came around the corner, not really concerned with what they were fighting over. "I didn't expect you to come after Sage said that you had stayed in Treasure Town. I would have thought you'd only come after hearing about... Do you already know?"

Duke turned and glared at her, his eyes showing hate and anger. "I told you to stay away from the beach for a reason, Kira! Now you hold the responsibility of an entire nation on your shoulders, and it's not like you can throw it away! Or did you already figure that out?" He snarled and hopped over to her, pointing his wing into her chest. "You've done something so stupid that even a Magikarp makes better decisions! What are you going to do now?! You can't go home with that stupid gem! You'd be leaving the royal family with nothing, especially after I was just disowned by my own father and mother!"

"At least I did something that can actually save the world, for once," Kira mumbled, grabbing his wing and pushing him away with a bit of disappointment in her eyes. "I found out where those three guardians or whatnot are, and I know who we have to fight to reach Necrozma, Duke. What would you have done? Would you have just allowed the world to be destroyed, because that's what'll happen even if I did nothing. Your world would be crushed under the fist of a tyrannical ruler, and mine would be lost because I did nothing. Your world is dead anyways, so why are we arguing? Let's just move on, please. I want to go home. I want to sleep in a proper bed for once. I... I... I just want to go back to being human again."

Duke growled and moved away from her, turning and shaking his head. "But what if you defeat them?" he asked her. "Then this world would live on, unless you decided to go back home. Kira, I know what will happen. No matter what you chose, billions of Pokémon or humans will die. The past hurts, so why go back to it? Do you think that these consequences won't follow you? It doesn't matter what you do. Billions will die, and possibly even more."

Kira chuckled and lowered her head. "You came back here just to tell me that, didn't you?" Kira chuckled, then raising her head to notice a shocked Duke. "You came to your past to tell me not to go back to mine, didn't you, Duke? What a hypocritical thing to tell me when we're in your past, Duke. For some reason, I think you're actually scared of me going home. Why is that, Duke? If not for your home, why?"

"I... I..." Duke looked at the ground and screamed to them, "I DON'T WANT TO LOSE MY BEST FRIEND!" He sniffled as he tried to keep eye contact. "Kira, you never asked where I was from, and I felt I could trust you with my life. But when I learned you were a human, it broke my heart to know I might have to let you go one day. That was why I wanted to keep you here. I tried to make you strong, but I never expected you to want to go home. I... I don't want to lose you, Kira. I want you to stay. Please, I'm begging you!"

Kira smiled and walked over, taking him into a light hug. She was silent before she said, "You don't have to leave my side. Duke, I don't want to leave you either, but I have to go home. So why don't we do what Ari did? Why don't we escape to the human realm together? If a Pokémon did it before, then you can do it now."

"I... I can't leave home without someone to rule it," Duke told her. "It took so much to get rid of it the first time, but maybe I was wrong to do such a thing. Kira, I want you to find those champions or whatever and take them down. I'll do whatever I can from here and give you information regarding whatever you need to know."

"That's great, but I already have an idea of where my first opponent is," said Kira, clenching a fist. "According to the book in the vault, the psychic one is holed up in Mount Travail, which is where Xatu was training me a while back. I think... I think Xatu may be the first guardian I have to fight. But if there's something I need, it's anything you know about Xatu, Duke. Anything will be useful."

Duke was silent before he sighed. "Xatu is one of the most powerful Pokémon I know of, Kira. He's stood his own against hundreds of Infected with a single attack of Ominous wind. I'm not sure if you can beat him in your current state. Besides, as you said, he trained you. He knows all of your moves, Kira. And he can see the future and past as well. He'll know everything you'd throw at him."

"Then I need to mix up my strategy mid-battle is all," Kira said jokingly. "Xatu doesn't know everything about my battle style when I limit-break, Duke. He's never seen my access the power I truly hold. Besides, in that tournament, I found I'm only tapping into ten percent of my power in my Overgrow state. I hold a lot more of a punch than he'd ever be expecting."

"Even then, he is no pushover on his own," Duke responded, sighing lightly. "If he is indeed an Infected, then he's even more powerful than you can ever think he is. He'll obliterate you unless you can come up with a proper strategy, and even I can't do so! I recommended him to you not having ever expected this. I... I don't know if you can win this battle, Kira."

Kira sighed and nodded in understanding. She understood that even Duke was afraid of Xatu, but that wouldn't deter her from finding and taking him down. She clenched her fist, smiling as she looked to Duke. Even if he was scared, there was only so much fear could do to her in this state of determination. She had to return home, even at the cost of her life; she wasn't going to die here without her past to keep her sane.

"I guess this is goodbye then," Kira said with a light chuckle, starting to walk past him. "I'm going to find Jamie and head back to Treasure Town. I want to find that ghost guardian next. They're holed up somewhere near Sky Tower, so I'll need any information on a nearby location or how to get there. The steel one can come last. I think it would be best to wait for that one."

"I'll get on it as soon as possible," Duke told her, smiling lightly. Even though it hurt, he knew he'd have to say goodbye one day - it had just come earlier than he thought it would. "Please be safe, Kira. I don't want to hear you had your tail handed to you by a psychic bird that can't see the present."

Kira nodded, then realizing what he had said. That gave her a silent idea, but she kept it to herself in case it would be seen in the present or future. She then left, passing by Unfezant as she began to head all the way back to Esperanza Village. She found no sign of Aaron or Pidgeot as she left the castle, which kind of confused her. She didn't worry about it, though. She didn't need to when the future and her destiny was coming closer.

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 10: Separation. What's this? Kyofu's still alive, even after his "death" in Meteor's Shards? Shouldn't really surprise anyone who knows me. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	13. Chapter 11: Dawn

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

Kira sighed as she docked with Jamie. The walk through Esperanza Village had been a rough one, and so she had come to Treasure Town a lot later than she had liked. Apparently, there had been some sort of eruption from a volcano near Killari, which had then forced Pokémon to the mainland in order to find shelter. While she hadn't minded enough to scream at them, she was kind of in a rush to save billions from eternal darkness/death.

Kira quickly shook her head and jumped from Jamie's shell, then turning to face the Lapras. "Thank you for agreeing to take me back before schedule," she told her, smiling lightly. "The fate of my world rests in how fast I can do this, so it's great to know some people still agree to assist even fools like me."

"You really shouldn't say things like that," Jamie responded, laughing as she shook her head. "You may be silly, and you may be in a rush, but you aren't a fool, Kira. You've done a lot more than some Pokémon can claim in their lives. You're still a child as well, so be proud. Besides, you shouldn't look back and wonder what could be better. Just look forward and see what you can do to make sure you get where you need to be. I'm behind you the entire way, Kira, even if someone says you're wrong."

"Thanks, but it's too early for encouraging words," Kira laughed. She then shook her head and looked towards her destination. "But nonetheless, thank you for everything, Jamie. You've been a great companion. I'm gonna miss you when this is all over."

"As will I." Jamie smiled and started to move back to the ocean. "I better get back to Esperanza Village now. I have a family I need to deliver to Lively Town before noon, and that's one long swim for a Lapras." As she turned away, she waved a flipper. "Goodbye, Kira. Maybe one day we can meet again. That is, if fate doesn't hate us."

Kira nodded and watched as Jamie once again left for her destination. She remained there for a while until she was finally bored and decided to head off to Mount Travail. Something about going there filled her with dread, but if Xatu really was one of the beasts that she would have to face in order to return home, then she was willing to do such a thing. No matter how bad it may have ended, she didn't want to give Necrozma the satisfaction of her world without even a struggle.

As she was traveling the trail to the mountain, a feeling of familiarity began to creep through her. This was the same place that she had accessed Ragnarök's power for the first ever time. And it was also the place she had received that feeling that she was being watched. She didn't know why, but those feelings began to creep through her as though they were new. Here, it felt like she had grown so much. From her first ever day with Xatu to now, she had become even more powerful than she could have ever dreamed.

"From here, it almost feels like a beginning is coming to a close, is it not?" Xatu's voice rang out, filling Kira with dread. Xatu simply chuckled, still not revealing himself to her eyes. "From the day I met you, your future had become cloudy, but I can now see why it was so. I await your arrival upon Mount Travail's peak. If you can reach me, then I will battle you with my full strength. I hope you do not hate me for my decision to take on the name of Guardian, Kira. In fact, I hope you can take from that training and show me a new creature. Come, Kira. Come and fight."

His message ended in a deep chuckle that sent a chill through Kira. She knew that this would have come, even if it wasn't her mission. He had called her to battle only once before, and it was the first time that they had ever met. She grit her teeth and began to hurry towards Mount Travail. The longer she thought and tried to think up a strategy, the more time Xatu had to look into her strategy.

"It's time to take down this bird," she hissed lightly, her eyes flashing red before returning to normal. "I'm trusting you, Ragnarök. This is where you began, and this is where we will end the same being who allowed me to access you. Let's do this together; only me and you, partner."

Kira smiled to herself as she heard a light chuckle within her head, grinning faintly as she picked up the pace. Before long, she arrived at the base of the mountain, but something about being here felt different from all those other times. Something about being here made her feel sick to her stomach, but she pushed past it and entered the main entrance. As sick as she felt, it was no excuse to quit. It was either lose both worlds, or find her way back to the one she had loved first and foremost.

Each step through the cavern tore at Kira's heart more and more until she felt like there was nothing left to fight forward for. No matter how much she reminded herself it was for her world and the lives of many, something kept dragging it away over and over again. Something about it was all too familiar, and so she closed her eyes, shutting out the physical world and entering the darkened state of her mind.

"I know you're here, Xatu," she whispered, her voice echoing in her own darkness. "You've done this to me too many times for me to not know your tricks anymore. You can try over and over again, but I'll be able to stop you even at your best."

Xatu smirked to himself as he moved from the darkness and to her vision. "Good, but I don't have to try to tear you apart." He raised a wing, revealing several feather-like blades under them. "I may be a mental projection, but I can still tear you apart. I just have to fight you from here, and you can't ever touch me, pathetic Snivy."

"How rude," a second voice chuckled. Xatu turned and faced the second Snivy that had formed. "Calling my host pathetic is like calling me and Leaf insignificant in her life. I wonder what you've done apart from starve her and try to kill her over and over again. But, well, it's not like it matters. This is a battle between you and me, Xatu. Kira doesn't even need to raise a finger in this world of hers."

Xatu was silent before he chuckled and shook his head. There was a moment of silence before he rushed forward. He lashed out to attack Ragnarök, but the red-eyes Snivy was already behind him, slamming down upon the psychic bird with a force Kira could never match without him or with her own special Meteor Strike.

Xatu groaned and slowly stood, looking around as a stadium began to form around them. To him, it looked like some sort of ring where people would wrestle, but why? Even if this place had anything, it should have matched up to the one who ruled its mind. How was it forming this when Kira was so sweet and nice to everyone? How was this violent place forming with how she was?

"Questioning the logic of your own statement, are you?" Ragnarök said, jumping from foot-to-foot from across the ring. "This body contains my personality as well, Xatu. I like to fight without bars, so of course I would be able to rule this part of the mind." Ragnarök then noticed that Xatu was sweating, almost as though having already been trying. "Are you really that scared? It's no wonder we came after you first! You're even more pathetic than Skarmory! How can you call yourself a Guardian if you can't stand up to one of the Flame Guard?"

"Flame... Guard?" Xatu asked, almost as though stumped by the words. Even with his vision, he couldn't see a single move that Kira or Ragnarök was planning, but why couldn't he? He knew everything about her, and yet her future and past were still dark and hidden from him. "How are you hiding so much information from me? Who are you?!"

Ragnarök simply shrugged and smirked evilly. "I'm the demon that filled every human and Pokémon in our universe with fear," he responded, his eyes becoming darker. "My name is Ragnarök, and I am the beast that will destroy the world bit by bit until nothing remains. I am the Norse event that all humans and gods fear! I am Death itself!"

Ragnarök then shot forward, slamming into Xatu with a force comparable to a nuclear warhead at terminal velocity (the highest possible speed while falling through liquid, often times air). Xatu let out a ear-piercing squawk as he was hit in the gut by a Leaf blade, which sent him flying.

"I can't see anything. He's... He's changing his path in the future too fast for me to even get a glimpse at him." Xatu's eyes widened in fear as he then slammed into the ground. The sound of shattering bones then followed. Even in this battle of the mind, Xatu could feel pain tearing through him every bit of the way. "Why? How are you so powerful? How can I not predict your moves?"

"Because I have no future here," Ragnarök whispered in Xatu's ear. He simply smirked and grabbed the bird's throat, lifting it up to where he was using his tail as the only counterweight. "I already happened, Xatu. I was never meant to come to life and live the life I did. But because Kira needed friends and someone who could care for her, I was brought back to life. But now, if I kill you here, I'll be free and Kira will be stronger than before." He smirked as his grip began to tighten. "I thought a Guardian would be stronger, but I guess not. You're as pathetic as I was before I woke up and killed the gods. Maybe you should try and wake up too."

Xatu growled as the pressure began to get to him. His vision started to become dark, but he wouldn't allow himself to be defeated quite so easily. As his vision went dark, Fear rushed through him, forcing Ragnarök to let go and back off as the powerful "Flame" began to consume Xatu. Xatu hit the ground with a thud, his head lowered until the Fear had started to lower itself. He then raise a head, his eyes a golden color and feathers darker than in his previous form.

"Now you've really ticked me off," Xatu hissed, his tone sour and full of hatred. "I'll show you why I'm a Guardian, Ragnarök. I'll show you why Fear is stronger than Flame ever will be. I'll kill you, and then I'll strangle Kira with your own hands." Xatu suddenly moved to the side as rocks shot up from the ground beneath him.

"What a loudmouth," Ragnarök yawned, fanning over his mouth as his Flame suddenly erupted, consuming the stadium as well as most of the surrounding area in the powerful aura. "You think your Fear can consume my Flame? Xatu, I am an event that murdered beings even stronger than a million Arceus at once. I'm pretty sure I've experienced more Fear than you can ever hold. Actually, I've already seen through your façade." Ragnarök chuckled and looked at Xatu before licking his lips. "You're scared of seeing someone who's mentality is stronger than your own, so you try and weaken them before eliminating them. I guess you failed, though. Kira is already awake, and I have full access to my Flames now."

Xatu growled as his Fear began to expand, but it could never match Ragnarök's. Even at their full blast, Ragnarök was still yawning and putting no effort into his own Flame. Xatu knew that Ragnarök was telling the truth as well, but why would he want to believe that he was so weak? That a spirit that was dead could beat him? He didn't want to accept it, and yet he knew he stood no chance against the beast.

As he was debating stopping at all, pain tore across his chest and back. His eyes widened as the feeling of blood dripping down both sides and from his mouth reached his senses. He looked down and noticed several long marks across his chest, but... How could they have been caused from within this place? Sure he may have been able to die here, but none of these injuries should have been real, right?

"Looks like you're suffering from my own mental powers," Ragnarök said, making Xatu look at him. "You know, I'm not just a mental figure either, Xatu. I have a way into the real world, and, while I may not do so very often, I am more than capable of murdering whatever stands in the way of my goals. So now, I recommend you just surrender whatever key it is we need to Kira before I take it from you myself."

"The key... can only be torn from my dead body," Xatu hissed, collapsing to his knees in pain and holding a wing to his chest. "I... I didn't think I'd ever lose, and so I shoved the Promise all the way into my spirit, which would become free and leave upon death. I... I... You'll have to kill me before you can have my key."

"I can work with that." Ragnarök smirked and walked over, grabbing the bird's neck and beginning to squeeze. As he squeezed, he could see a bright light leaving Xatu's body - the key! "This is that Promise you hide, huh? Too bad a life had to be lost for it." He shrugged before a crack sounded out and Xatu went limp. "Burn in Hell, forbidden Guardian."

As the light began to float around, Kira walked up from behind Ragnarök. He turned and faced her, giving her a thumbs up with his bloody hand. She reacted to it calmly, almost as though she knew he was going to do it from the beginning. It was still likely due to the adrenaline that she was acting so calm, but Ragnarök knew she would begin to panic in realization soon enough. That was when he kicked her from the darkness and back to the waking world. Back to the cave where she had forced herself to pass out in.

Upon waking up, Kira was met with the familiar face of Sage, who was holding an odd ball of what seemed to be pure light in his hands. She quickly stood, looking at his bloody claws with fear, but calmed as she realized they reeked of barbeque sauce.

"I believe this orb thing belongs to you," Sage grunted, lobbing it to her. She fumbled to catch it before then doing so. "I found it at the top of the mountain where Xatu used to live. That bird's gone now, so I think he might have left this behind for you in case you came after him or something. I don't know. There's no letter up there or anything. Just a few feathers and mostly missing possessions he had hidden behind some rocks."

"R-right," Kira responded, looking at the orb before tilting her head. She wasn't exactly sure what to do with it, but now was not the time to worry about it. "Say, Sage. You're a great explorer and all, but do you know of any insanely powerful Pokémon near some place known as Sky Tower? Or somewhere in a cave that stretches to the mantle? It's really important that I find them. They're my keys to returning home."

"If I did, then they would have been destroyed and cut into bits by now," Sage responded, flexing his claws as he turned away. "But I can look into caves for you if it'll really make you happy. I don't need anyone messing up my career, so getting you out of here would be best for all of us." As he was starting to walk away, Kira grabbed his arm with her vines.

"Sage, I don't know how to tell you this without letting you down or without you wanting to kill me," she whispered, lowing her head. "You know, when I go home... When I go back to where I came from... this world... This world will-"

"I already know," Sage said, pulling from her weak grip. "This world will die when you go back home, Kira. It was written on the walls of fate, which have always come true in the past. I'm not sure if it's true or not this time, but don't bother saving this world. We'll come back eventually, just like Aaron did. He was thought dead, but then he suddenly came back. We'll find a way to live on, even if not here. Kira, go back home to the human realm. Don't worry about something you can find back in your own realm."

Kira wasn't sure why, but his words brought tears to her eyes. She rushed forward, hugging him tightly and feeling an odd warmth coming from him as he held her back. It was silent, but Kira could feel as he wished her luck, almost as though he was wanting her to succeed and return home. No matter what, her decision had finally been solidified. She was going to return home and live the life she had been given first and before this all.

"I don't see why you would ever want to stay here anyways," Sage said as he then pulled from the hug. For the first time, she saw him smiling in sympathy and what seemed to be joy. "You're a human, not a Snivy. You were meant to save your world, not live in this world as this creature. Besides, you don't have anything here to look forward to. It gets repetitive after a while." As he was speaking, a clawed hand pulled the black opal from around her neck. "As for this? It's worthless now." He then crushed the gem, filling Kira with a sense of dread. "After all, it held back Ragnarök's full power, didn't it? Maybe it's best the royal family dies out anyways. Pokémon don't need to be in castles filled with gold. That's what Duke told me anyways."

Kira nodded lightly and rubbed the back of her neck, lowering her head as she tried to make sense of this all. So this was the first step to her returning home, right? If this was what it took, and if this was all she needed to do to get to Necrozma, then she was willing to do whatever. Even as Sage had said it, this world held nothing for her but a life she had never been meant for. Maybe... Maybe this was what was best. She smiled and chuckled as she turned and looked to the exit, the faint light of sunrise reaching it.

"It's only just begun," she whispered, clenching her fist as the orb began to crack and flow into her body. "I'm coming for you, Necrozma. I won't quit until I've finally won!"

* * *

Necrozma smirked as he looked down at the dark Espeon below him. This Pokémon had come to him, looking for some sort of adventure, and so that was what Necrozma had given him. But now, things were starting to kick off for their armies. The Western Guardian had fallen some time before, and they both knew the time for invasion was soon. There was only one problem.

"Without the Western Guardian, I don't believe we'll be successful in eradicating that filthy pest," Kyofu snarled, the smell of rotten flesh on his breath as his blood-red eyes glared at Necrozma. "The Eastern and Northern Guardians are panicked enough with how fast Xatu fell, and they're trying to set up their own defenses against Kira and her group of freaks. I don't care what it takes, Necrozma. I'm going there whether you like it or not."

"Listen to me, Kyofu," Necrozma whispered, his eyes glancing around before closing. "I agree that you should go, but I don't want to leave the castle unprotected and open to Kira once she finds out how to access the Promise's full power. Every shard she gets brings her closer and closer, and I know that she'll be here sooner than we could ever expect her to be. For now, infect as many Pokémon as possible, but when the second Guardian falls, immediately retreat and come back here, Kyofu."

Kyofu was silent before he licked his lips and shook his head. "Nah. I think I'll do things my own way." He smirked and took a few steps forward, which greatly confused Necrozma. "I know you're scared of her, Necrozma, so I'll just be taking that throne for myself."

Necrozma stood, only to collapse to his knees as blood began to flow from a wound that had suddenly formed in his gut. He looked down, panic surfacing as he realized what Kyofu was doing. He... Why was he doing this now of all times?

"I would say I'm sorry, but fools like you don't deserve sympathy," Kyofu whispered, the walls becoming cracked and the roof starting to collapse around them. "When Kira gets the third key, I'll kill her myself. After all, I can't die. We all know Shinko failed because she was scared of harming her pathetic partner, so I'm sure Kira won't be any harder to take down. Kira'll be scared of destroying the world, so I'll take great care of this world." He licked his lips and began to walk away. "Now sit there and bleed as the walls fall in on you, monster."

Necrozma growled and closed his eyes. If this was his end, then what was the point? Light began to escape his body and form into three separate orbs. "Kira, I regret nothing but the fact that I didn't try harder to make this challenging for you." One of the orbs then faded, while the other two rocketed away. "With the last bits of my power, find the final two Promises and save your world. Don't let Kyofu win this... Please. That monster can't be allowed to win this war."

Necrozma then closed his eyes, smiling faintly as darkness consumed him, the sound of crashing rocks filling his head as everything began to fade away. He wished to have foreseen this, but it was always his own greed and lust for power that had blinded him from the power of others. Now, he was at the end, but it was only the beginning of a new world. A beginning... that would be decided by a battle soon enough.

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 11: Dawn. Well, I guess Kyofu's alive and ready to kill, but Kira and her friends have grown stronger, right? We'll see in the future. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	14. Chapter 12: Black and Green

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
Edit: Welcome to another long chapter. Was meant to be split in two, but was too lazy to try. Bye!_

Kira yawned lightly as she leaned back against a wall, her eyes heavy as she struggle not to fall asleep once more. She was back in the cave she had come to when she had first come to Treasure Town, although it was now empty and only she inhabited the cave. Of course, it was a nice change of pace since it had been her first night, but it would have been a bit lonely if it hadn't been for Leaf and Ragnarök talking to her now that she was awake. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't really asked about what had happened to Xatu when Ragnarök had beaten him.

Kira quickly shook her head and yawned loudly, tearing her mind from the idea of questioning her friend. Sure, he may have been falling a bit more quiet when she was listening, but she still trusted him enough not to question his actions. Besides, no matter what had happened, she knew it was for the greater good. She was that much closer to returning home because of him now, and she knew she would have to thank him sooner or later. Maybe it would be when he warmed up, though. He was still giving her a cold shoulder.

Shaking her head to clear her mind of the thoughts, Kira stood and walked to the entrance, watching over the world that was soon to be a piece of her past. Sure, it did bring a bit of disappointment to her heart to see it disappear, but she was sure that she would move on one day. At the moment, though, this wondrous sunrise was what she wanted to care about. She thought of it as her last, and that made her regret her decision. Even Sage's reassuring words from yesterday seemed to be completely nulled by what she felt at the moment. Why was it so hard to make up her mind after so long now? Why was it so hard to finally decide on her next course of action? She wanted to go home, but what about this place? Would she ever see it again? Would... Would this all just become something that she would think of as a dream? She so desperately didn't want it to be that. Desperately, she didn't want this to end.

"So this is what you decide to do when there's nothing around to entertain you, huh?" a voice whispered from behind her, shocking Kira greatly. She turned and met face-to-face with a smiling Espeon, but there was something creepy about him. "You know, I've heard of a Snivy causing trouble for the Dark One and Necrozma, and seeing that Xatu isn't on his mountain anymore, I can't help but feel that this little Snivy is trying to do something bad." He smirked and licked his lips, his eyes flashing a dark red color. "If you could perhaps point me in the direction of the one I seek, maybe I won't have to be so harsh on you, Kira."

Kira grit her teeth and glared at him. Something in her screamed danger, but why was the emotion she felt most when in this creature's sight fear? Why was this creature so familiar and yet so unfamiliar at the same time. She felt like she should have known him, but she didn't. He knew her, though, and every single thing he had said had been from her and her actions. She didn't tell him, though. He was such a creep!

"Not going to answer, huh?" He chuckled and shook his head, glaring at her with hate. "Well, I figured you were strong, but you're nothing more than a scaredy-cat. When Xatu died, I thought maybe it was because you could control your fear. Instead, I find you in this state in this pathetic cave." He chuckled and started to move back to the darkness. "Well, because of that, I'll just go back home and watch your struggle. Don't disappoint me like Shinko did so many years ago." He simply chuckled before he disappeared from her vision.

"That was... weird," Kira said to herself, shaking her head as she slowly began to leave the cave, sliding down the mountain and to the main trail. "That thing must have been Kyofu. He wasn't so scary, but how could he tell I was scared? If he really is the leader of the Infected, then why didn't he seem any stronger than just a normal Espeon? Then again, why does he look somewhat normal. He reminds me of you both, Leaf and Ragnarök. He isn't really anything special, is he?"

"I don't know about you, but something about that Pokémon just gives me the shivers," Leaf admitted, chuckling to herself as Kira stepped onto the trail. "Something about his Flame was just so off to me, but I couldn't tell what it was. He seemed to familiar, and I know that he looked like Kyofu, but was he really? He felt so... weak. He felt like a normal Pokémon to me, so I have no idea what to think about him."

Ragnarök simply chuckled before he shook his head, grunting before he spoke. "I could sense everything within him," the rage-filled Snivy growled. "His power was unlike anything I have ever experienced, and I've killed gods before. I don't know how, but he's hiding the full power of the Fear he holds within him. I think that he might have found a way to hide it from us, but what I do know is that he is a lot stronger than we would have thought. Now that I think about it, a sudden weight feels like it's been lifted from my shoulders. I think... Do you think Kyofu turned on Necrozma? We've never met him before, and we saw about him in that book, so... What do you two think?"

Kira shrugged and clenched her fist. "He didn't cause us any trouble, so I don't see why we should have to worry about him at the moment." She lowered her gaze to the ground and sighed lightly. "If he did turn on Necrozma, I can't even begin to think how powerful he may be. He wasn't injured in any way, but it could have been ages ago that he had done so... But if so, why did he refer to another being as the Dark One and as though Necrozma was still alive? It makes no sense."

"Kyofu was always a strange beast," Leaf told her. "Wasn't he the same being that had been "destroyed" by Shinko all those years ago? From what I can recall of those events, the entire mountain had been forced into an eruption only days later, so her attack mustn't have been all that powerful compared to him. I wonder if he's just durable and uses his Fear to fight instead. I'm not sure, but I don't have enough information on this stuff. Maybe we should ask Duke about this."

"No," Kira quickly answered, picking up the pace as she headed towards a northern part of Treasure Town - the Guild of Wigglytuff. "I don't need him to worry about nay encounters with that beast again. I say we just ask Wigglytuff about anything he knows or if he could help us with anything. We met once before during my training, so I have no idea if he'll remember me now." Kira then looked down to her hands. These same hands had been the ones Ragnarök had used to kill Xatu. "But... I have blood on my hands too. Will he trust me?"

Ragnarök was the one who responded with, "That's blood I spilled on your hands, Kira. Wigglytuff won't notice a single drop of it due to it also having been mental. If he says anything, just say that you had tried to help him, but he had attacked and abandoned you." Ragnarök sighed and grit his teeth. "It wasn't your fault at all, dear friend. It was all mine and his."

Kira nodded in response, smiling as she focused back on the real world. By that time, she was already up the large stars that led to the guild. She shivered as a cold breeze rolled over her back, but it was refreshing somehow. Quickly shaking her head, she took a quick step forward onto the cold metal grate that separated her and the guild entrance.

Almost immediately, a dull cry echoed out from under. Kira almost jumped off in shock, but she knew that this was coming. Sage had brought her here once before, but he hadn't really taken her inside. He had just show her the grate and explained a bit about them all. As she was thinking to herself, she was snapped from her thoughts as the bars in front of the guild entrance began to rise up. Kira quickly shook her head and started forward, slipping under the bars when they were about halfway up. The cold metal was like that of the grate and breeze, but why so? Why was everything so cold now? It was starting to scare her.

Quickly shaking her head for, like, the third or fourth time that day, she quickly slid down the ladder that lead to the second floor of the base. But that place wasn't her destination. She quickly moved to the right and went down a second ladder and to the base floor, which was where Wigglytuff would likely be in his chamber.

As her feet hit the ground, there was another sudden chill, and Kira knew that this one wasn't like any of the others. She was under the ground, and the likelihood of a breeze that cold reaching here was slim. Kira felt frozen for a moment before she turned and stepped away from the ladder, heading to the large wooden door where the guildmaster usually resided. Kira herself hadn't seen it before, but Sage made sure she knew most of where everyone was; he didn't let her sleep one night until she had been able to say everything without him saying a single word.

As she sighed lightly, she knocked on the door lightly. She heard nothing for a short moment, but then the doors flung open, slamming into her and knocking her back several feet. The sudden blow had winded and shocked her, which kept her on the ground for several moments as she tried to catch her breath. Upon lifting her head, she noticed a bird-like Pokémon Sage had told her was Chatot. Behind him was a rather cute and fluffy Pokémon known as Wigglytuff, who had pink and white fur and almost looked like a rabbit. Both of them had rather panicked expressions, although it was harder to tell from Wigglytuff for some reason.

"Umm... Sorry if I'm interrupting something important," she groaned as she slowly pushed herself to her feet. Even after all she had been through, she was still easily winded and hurt even by everyday things. She had found that out rather quickly after the fight with Xatu. "I just... I wanted to ask you about something is all."

"Sorry, kiddo, but we have some serious trouble heading straight this way!" Chatot squawked, filling Kira with worry. "There's this Pokémon heading straight here, and anyone we've already sent has returned with nothing on the beast! As far as we're aware, it might be Kyurem, but no one has been able to confirm this. W-we're planning on evacuating the town. M-maybe you should come with us, kiddo. It's too dangerous to stay here!"

"What I have to ask about is even more dangerous than whatever Pokémon may be heading here," Kira quickly stated, the shiver crawling over her once more. "I came to ask about anything you may have regarding the beast known as Kyofu. I... I had an encounter with him earlier, a-and I need anything that can help me find a strategy around him."

"I'm sorry, but we can't help you there," Wigglytuff stated. "We have to evacuate town, and that comes before anything else. If you help us, then we'll tell you whatever you may need to know. Otherwise, I recommend you evacuate yourself."

As Kira was about to speak again, a brown, short Pokémon dug over to them. She wasn't sure why, but everyone believed this was just they head of a Pokémon known as Diglett. The Pokémon seemed to be exhausted, probably having dug from somewhere far away in a short time.

"It's too late to evacuate the town," he quickly gasped, shivering lightly. as what seemed to be ice crystals began to form on the ground. "I tried my hardest to do what you needed, but I couldn't get any further then the town. The ground is frozen solid, and it's reaching well below freezing temperatures. I'm not sure just yet, but I believe I can confirm your reports of it being Kyurem. I don't know how or why that beast is awake after so long, but something must have happened at Mount Travail. Wasn't it sleeping there because of Xatu?"

"You're right, but Sage told us that Xatu had taken off some time yesterday after Kira had arrived to battle him," Chatot whispered, then turning and looking at her. "Because of you, we're about to be attacked by one of the most fearsome Pokémon in the entire world. Because you wanted to battle the being that kept that beast asleep, we're all going to die."

"Then I'll go ahead and face him!" she snapped back, making Chatot flinch in surprise. "All I ask is you give me any information regarding Kyofu and its past. I need to know everything about this beast in order to stop it from killing anyone!"

Chatot grit his teeth. He seemed about ready to snap, but Wigglytuff spoke first. "We'll give you that information once Kyurem is no longer a threat to this town," he said seriously. "I'd go myself, but I have to make sure our members are still safe and well. Chatot, I want you to look through the files for Kyofu. And Diglett, find somewhere safe to hide okay?"

Both were silent for a moment before they nodded. Diglett disappeared into the ground as Chatot began to head towards the guildmaster's chambers. There was a moment of silence that followed before Wigglytuff chuckled lightly. Kira looked up to him confused, shivering as the chills became stronger and stronger.

"I'd love to make friends with this beast, but even I know that Kyurem won't calm down without either truths or ideals to feed off of," Wigglytuff told her. "Kira, make sure you don't harm any innocent civilians, okay? And make sure to get him out of the town before anything else. I don't want any blood spilled in this town."

Kira nodded lightly and raised a hand to her chest. There was a moment where she had forgotten, but she then recalled that Sage had crushed the black opal that had tied her to Duke's family. She quickly shook her head and clenched her fist, internally promising to take down this beast before it could cause anyone harm. Quickly, she rushed away and up the ladders to the outside world. While she didn't have the information she wanted just yet, she would have to wait and take down this beast before anything else.

As she began to run down the stairs, ice crystals began to suddenly form. Kira let out a loud yip as she hit a rather large patch, rolling down most of the stairs on her way to the bottom. By the time she had finally stopped, Kira was laughing at herself for being such a fool and not slowing down when she knew that ice would be forming.

"Than again, what do I know about Kyurem other than the fact it can form ice?" she mumbled as she stood up, the grass in front of her becoming solid in small blocks of ice. "Such a weird Pokémon. I wonder what it was doing before Xatu stopped it." Silently, Kira shook her head and headed toward where the chill and ice was coming from. "Whatever Kyurem is, I doubt it could be too bad."

Oh, Kira found out pretty soon that she was very wrong. Upon sight of the monster, Kira was sent flying high into the air, her body covered in ice crystals that kept her from moving even a single muscle. She slammed into the ground with the force of a miniature meteor. Upon impact, though, the crystals shattered and allowed her to move. Luckily, she hadn't broken anything just yet.

"That was one hell of a ride," Leaf chuckled from within her head. "Did you see the aura of that thing? That Fear aura has to be the strongest I've seen to date. I wonder how Xatu was keeping that thing asleep. Doesn't matter now, though. We have to take it out before anything bad can happen."

"I would, but I can't fight that thing on my own," Kira admitted. "That thing just threw me into the air without me even getting the change to fight back. How am I going to beat something that I can't even find?"

"You just need to be faster than it," Ragnarök told her, his Flame erupting to massive size as he spoke. "I'm not as fast as that beast, and so I know I stand no chance in a physical battle. We just have to outrun it and its ice attacks, but how would we do that? Leaf can't control your body yet."

Kira smirked and stood proudly, ice forming once more as Kyurem closed in. "I don't need to be fast. I just need to hold out until I can find a weak spot in it." She groaned as ice began to form out around her feet, almost trapping her. "But I gotta keep moving. Staying still will get me killed."

Kira smirked as she saw the beast for the first proper time. The ice slowed her greatly, but she managed to escape its hold several times before rushing at the beast. Within a certain range, the ice stopped forming. Kira suddenly took off, slamming her tail into the chest of the creature, but to no avail. It looked down at her, grinning before it opened its jaws wide.

Kira used the force that was pushing back to rocket away from the beast's maw. It slammed its jaws together, resulting in a loud crunch that had caught nothing but air. Kira was glad to have dodge the attack, but something about the sound was creepier than the thought of death.

As she stopped rolling, Kira realized ice was no longer forming. She looked up, then noticing a large rock jutting from the ground and through Kyurem and to the tops of the trees. The Pokémon had stopped moving overall, and a small trail of blood could be seen reaching down from the Pokémon to the ground from the rock.

"Breakthrough Stone Edge," a voice whispered from behind her. She suddenly turned, noticing Sage and Aaron standing side-by-side, their paws both glowing with energy. Sage chuckled and shook his hand. "Last time I hit something that hard, a Hariyama hit the ground dead."

"Yeah, but did we really have to kill it?" Aaron mumbled, heading over to the beast. "I've enjoyed studying Pokémon in my free time, so to see a dead legendary specimen is rather disappointing, Sage. I guess I shouldn't complain, though. Better dead than terrorizing the next village over."

Sage growled and walked over to his brother, slapping the Lycanroc with his harsh claws. "Just be glad I didn't tear it apart after what it did to those folks in that town," he snarled. He then turned and looked at Kira. "You need to get out of town, Kira. If Kyurem was awake, then it means something more menacing is going to follow. The last time he was awake, something called the Bittercold followed after. If history is repeating itself, then an even stronger beast will follow."

"You're right about that, but I don't think they're just going to be attacking because of Kyurem," Aaron mumbled, rubbing his cheek before turning to Kyurem. "I sense no Fear within this Pokémon, so whoever sent it knew Xatu had died. The only problem is that only we would have known that, unless Necrozma had some sort of link to it."

"I-it wasn't Necrozma," Kira whispered, her head low as she recalled Kyofu. "Aaron, Kyofu was the one who sent it, but I don't know if that's all there was to it. I was told that Xatu was keeping it asleep, but it only headed after me. It avoided the village once I had started for it. It was after only me."

Aaron was silent for a moment before he grit his teeth. "Kyofu is known for his persuasive voice, but he can also use Fear to control Pokémon. What I question is how did Kyurem not recognize Kyofu? He's a demon through and through. Anyone can see that."

"And he can disguise himself as well," Kira then added. "I thought it was my eyes tricking me, but he can somehow change his appearance into that of a normal Espeon. It's... It's not like anything I've ever seen before. I think... Do you think he can take the powers of Pokémon he's killed before?"

"Whether he can or can't, we don't have time to worry about it now," Sage interrupted, his claws flashing as blood coated his claws. "The Infected will be upon us at any moment. And if they aren't, then something even stronger than Kyurem will be launched. We have to get the citizens of the town somewhere safe before we do anything else! Capiche?"

Aaron grit his teeth before nodding and beginning to pad away. He took one last glance at Kyurem before he disappeared into the forest. Kira was about to follow after, but then felt a clawed hand on her shoulder. She turned, only to freeze as she noticed that Sage's eyes were blood-red.

"I'm only going to say this once, so listen to me very, very closely," he whispered. "If you get in my way during this or even try to stop me from tearing these beasts apart, I will do to you as I do them. Now get out of here." He then pushed her in the direction that Aaron had padded off to; Kira soon nodded and ran away.

Kira ran until she could no longer, and by then, she was at Sharpedo Bluff, her heart beating wildly as she tried to make sense of everything that had just happened. Why now was she panicking? Was it because of Kyofu? Or was something else messing with her?

"I can't handle all of this," she whispered, losing hope for what she thought was an okay reason. "I can't handle the fate of two worlds. I can't handle all this death and despair around me. Maybe it's better... maybe it'd be better if I just died."

Kira sat down and closed her eyes, hugging her knees close to her chest. Was this battle really pointless? What if she couldn't return home anyways? What if this was all just something Necrozma had done to make her feel like an idiot? Maybe there wasn't a point to it all. Maybe... maybe this all had happened because she had wanted to do something that was impossible.

"Why are you giving up now that you're so close to home?" a voice whispered from within her head. "If it was me, then I'd put all my power into going home, you know. I love my home, and I'd never want to feel like I did something useless. Even if my home was destroyed, then I'd still want to fight for its honor. After all, a world where you were born and raised is always worth fighting for."

"Who are you?" Kira whispered, her eyes shut as she tried to hold in tears. "Why are you talking to me? I thought there was only Leaf and Ragnarök within my mind? Why are you here as well, whoever you are?"

"Because I need your help to save this world as well," the voice whispered. "I am Arceus, Creator of this Pokémon world. I know it seems unlikely, but Kyofu is a threat to all of us. He destroyed hundreds of planets without so much as trying, and this one will soon fall to the same fate if we can't stop him. Unfortunately, I can't alone. He killed off my children, and that includes Necrozma. He's too powerful for me to take down alone. Even Rayquaza and Mewtwo stood no chance against him, even at half his power. I need you not to give up, Kira. Keep fighting and I'll walk beside you the entire way Please, as the Father of the Pokémon world, I ask for your assistance in taking down the one that threatens our very existence."

Kira wasn't sure what to make of the situation. The Pokémon God was asking for _her_ help in taking down Kyofu, and yet... she was still scared. He had killed Necorzma, so that meant she had no way to return home now. Maybe if she took him on she would find a way home, but it was useless otherwise. The least she could do was try, and so she nodded. Maybe they could take Kyofu down, but what were the chances? If two legendary beasts couldn't, what chance did they have?

"Good choice," Arceus mumbled within her head. "I will try my hardest to lend a hand without Kyofu getting any wind of this, but there won't be much I can do. Even we must follow rules that we share with mortals. For now, Kira, prepare for battle. The Infected are not far off. They are large in numbers, but weak in power. A war is coming, child of humans. A war that will decide the fate of two worlds, is only moments away."

* * *

Kira wasn't exactly sure what to think. At the moment, she was sitting with her back to the wall of a villager's house. The town had been evacuated only moments ago, and now she was waiting for a signal that the Infected were on their way. Aaron and Sage were back with Wigglytuff, likely talking about measures they could take; Kira knew there wasn't much time, though. Soon, the Infected would reach them and a battle would follow.

"You still have no idea what you're doing," she reminded herself as she slowly stood, her hands now behind her head. "I mean, you know that you're still trying to save your world, but why are you participating in a war that can decide its fate? Why aren't you just running and trying to find the other Guardians so you can take 'em down, Kira? Are you just that scared?"

"Talking to yourself?" Ragnarök chuckled from within her mind. She nodded lightly, her arms crossed as she watched towards the forest. "You know, I remember that you used to talk to yourself a lot before we came here. I know it wasn't often, but you did it when something was stressing you. This, however, shouldn't stress you out that much. You have the help of a God on your side, Kira. You have nothing to fear! Except maybe Kyofu, of course, but why would he come here now? He must just be sending pawns to be testing you."

"And what if he isn't?" Kira questioned. "What if he was letting us think that, but he actually is going to be coming for us himself. We pose too much of a threat for him to ignore us, right? He threatened to kill me in case you forgot. He might actually come for us in the chaos."

"I doubt it," Leaf mumbled, her voice scratchy as though she was sick. "Kyofu doesn't seem like one to hide behind pawns. He's like the queen of a chessboard. He goes wherever he wants, but he's also strategic for what he wants to do. He might just send them to test us before making his move. But sooner or later, one player is going to have their checkmate."

"I thought the checkmate was what happened when the king couldn't move and was already in check?" Ragnarök said back. "Is there a rule I missed when we were playing last time? I could have sworn you had taught me every rule until I could speak them by heart."

"It's just a metaphor," Kira told him, her gaze on the forest as Pokémon cries began to ring out - the signal. "But you two better get ready to take control as soon as something goes wrong. The forest Pokémon have called out that the Infected have arrived. What a bother."

As the cries began to become low, an explosion suddenly tore through the town. Kira yipped as she was thrown skyward, surprise tearing through her. As she started to fall once more, she quickly extended her vines, slamming them into the ground to soften her landing. Her landing wasn't exactly the smoothest, though, and she ending up stumbling a bit as she recovered from the initial shock of the attack.

As Kira began to focus once more, one thing became apparent: the town was now up in flames. She clenched a fist as the cries began to pick up once more, but they were ones of panic and fear now. Kira quickly shook to clear her head and ears of the ringing. Now was not the time to worry about the town. It was to worry about the Pokémon and their lives.

"Just find and take out the captain and you won't have to kill anyone else," she mumbled as she took off for the forest. "Just try and find them, and don't try and kill anyone else." She grinned lightly before a thought reached her. How would she know who was leading them? She doubted she would be able to tell a difference. Just like Skarmory, she couldn't exactly tell that he had been leading any. He looked just like them.

"I believe they may have a bigger flame than those around them," Arceus told her. "I recall that the first Infected Pokémon I ever met had a flame larger than a Pokémon it had Infected itself. Perhaps it can't spread Fear as well as Kyofu, so their flames are larger than those below them. Keep an eye out for that, Kira. I have to work on something to help you with the others."

Kira nodded lightly and bolted into the forest. Upon entry, her vision was filled with the familiar colors of both Fear and Flame. Her own Flame pushed back against the fear, but she knew this was Ragnarök's work as he absolutely destroyed everything that tried to get into her mind. Even then, she felt nothing as the Fear began to grow. Where were all the enemies? Up to this point, she had only seen the flames Fear, not the Pokémon themselves.

"There's something wrong here," Kira whispered to herself as she glanced around - the cries had also calmed so something must have happened. "I get the feeling that this isn't an invasion at all, Arceus. I think there's someone here who's trying to mess with us. I just don't know who."

As she was coming to a stop, a familiar giggle echoed around her. She froze in fear as she recognized it, although it had been a really long time since she had last heard that voice.

"Zorua," she hissed loudly as she glanced around. "Come out of the shadows, you filthy fox. Why are you siding with Kyofu in this battle, huh? I thought that you would at least have some sort of pride after all that's happened. Why let this fool control you?"

"Because I thought it would be fun to watch as you suffered every step of the way as you returned home," Zorua whispered, her voice echoing around her. "Kyofu's Fear made me realize just how much I hate the people in the spotlight. It made me realize how much I hate Pokémon like you, Kira. It let me feel what I wanted to say the most: I hate everyone who is more special than I am."

Kira growled lightly, but she couldn't take another step before she was sent flying back. She slammed into a nearby tree, where she then hit the ground in both shock and pain. She could barely tell where anything was now, and this insane amount of power made her feel fear as well. Even then, how was Zorua this powerful? She didn't seem like the kind of Pokémon to hide so much potential behind a mask. And why would she hate Pokémon more special than her? All Pokémon were special in their own special ways, right?

"You don't need to do this," Kira told Zorua. "You are special, but sometimes other Pokémon are just more out there than you. I would know, Zorua. I'm not known by the entire world for something I've done. Heck, I'm barely known around Esperanza Town. And it's not like I'm staying here forever. When I go home, I won't be in the spotlight of this world. You'll be higher than me. Please, Zorua. Just let go of your Fear."

Zorua fell silent for a moment before a light chuckle escaped her lips. "I'd rather burn in Hell than let you go, you filthy bastard." Zorua giggled lightly before she appeared before Kira. "I'm sick and of your games, Kira. I'm sick and tired of being numero dos to you. I'm sick... and I'm tired... of your existence."

Kira grit her teeth and backed away from the Zorua. How was she being controlled by Fear so much? Skarmory was irrational, and Lucas had just been mad, but Zorua seemed to understand everything she was saying. What made no sense about it was that she was thinking that Kira was trying to be above her. There was something about it that was so terrifying, and yet there was something so familiar.

Kira shook her head and tried to make sense of it, but she didn't get the chance before pain began to tear through her. She hissed loudly and a hand instinctively reached to her chest, a thick liquid running from it and over her hand: blood. How had she not seen the attack that had caused this? Was she just that distracted?

"I'll kill you," Zorua whispered, her voice dark and deep. "I'll tear you limb from limb, watching as you slowly bleed out to death. I'll watch every drop of blood as it drips from you and reaches the ground." She smirked as her eyes became dark and the Fear began to expand. "I'll accomplish master's mission, and it'll be me who he praises for so. Be scared, Kira. Be very, very scared."

Kira... Kira couldn't feel anything but fear. Her own Flames were nothing compared to what Zorua was giving off, which made her think. The last time she had seen something like this, Xatu had been trying to take down Ragnarök. His Fear had been huge, but it had been quenched by Ragnarök's simple words. Why couldn't she do the same thing, though? Why was she unable to fight back like a voice inside her head?

Kira was dragged from her thoughts as he vision began to become dark. She lost all feeling in her lower half, which then caused her to collapse to her hands and knees. Her gaze remained on the ground as she felt the blood within her start to slow. Her own heartbeat began to suffer the same fate, until a feeling of hope began to run through her.

"Leaf," she whispered as she closed her eyes. "Take my place and take down this monster. Show them the mercy we showed to Kiminari and Xatu. Show Zorua... just what it means to be afraid." Kira then opened her eyes, showing them to be a bright green. "Burn in Hell, filth."

Zorua smirked lightly as her Fear began to come back, becoming even darker than it had been before. She looked at Leaf with a dark grin before licking her lips. Leaf, on the other hand, forced herself to stand with a frown. They were both ticked at each other, but for different reasons it seemed.

"I'll show you what it means to be determined to get rid of your foe," Leaf said calmly, her scars healing rather quickly compared to the normal healing of a Snivy in the sun. "So, would you please show me something useful, Zorua? I don't need you to be another Xatu."

"Don't worry," Zorua hissed. "I'm not like that foolish Guardian. I don't have a sense of pride left to hold me into the rules that you mortals follow. I won't hold back like him. I'll show you the true power that Kyofu's Guardians can hold."

'So she's a replacement Guardian,' Leaf thought with a chuckle. 'First Xatu hiding Kyurem, and now Kyofu hiding Zorua. I wonder just how this'll go. No doubt we'll win, though. Years of rest can make a Flame even more powerful.' "Enjoy your time alive, Zorua. I sure did, but now I'm going to kill you and finish you like Sage and Aaron to Kyurem."

Leaf quickly took off, jumping into a tree as a powerful beam of darkness slammed into the tree that had been behind her only moments before. Leaf looked down upon the Zorua before she appeared in another tree, grinning as she avoided yet another late attack. Leaf didn't really seem to be trying to dodge, nor was she really wanting to fight back. She was a strategist, not an offense or counter kind of person.

Leaf was forced to jump once more as yet another powerful pulse of darkness slammed into the tree where she had been thinking to herself in. Zorua seemed to be a master of dark attacks, and yet she wasn't using her illusions for some reason. There was something about it that was off to her, but she didn't bother to think about if for long as she could hear loud cries from the forest - likely reinforcements for the invasion.

"How disappointing that even you have to use such a trick as reinforcements," Leaf mumbled as she looked at Zorua, spitting on the ground before dodging yet another attack. "Although I get the feeling these cries are not of the normal Pokémon. Such a disappointment, though. Even I, a former Flame Guard, must admit that."

"Did you really think I would bring along reinforcements?" Zorua chuckled. "I am a Pokémon of illusion and trickery. I don't need reinforcements to tear apart an entire time. I just need time and a fool who thinks they're fighting an enemy. And Aaron was that perfect fool. Sage lived with a Zoroark for far too long, and Wigglytuff is too much of a child. All the other guild members are too weak, but he... He tries too hard to be like his older brother."

Leaf simply smirked and put a hand to her heart. "How heartwarming to hear you say such a thing about him," she whispered, a dark grin appearing. "That means that I don't have to worry about your tricks reaching us as you try to tear the world apart bit by bit. After all, there's only so much illusion you can control. Even a Guardian's Breakthrough can't extend that power."

Zorua's eyes widened in what appeared to be fear as she began to attack once more. Before the pulse of darkness could come from her, a root shot up from the ground and straight through her waist. She gasped out as the ground disappeared from under her, filling her with a sense of terror. Her eyes then began to light up, showing that she was losing a hold over herself. She looked up to Leaf, who was yawning lightly.

"How... can you be so calm.. when a town... was just destroyed?" Zorua coughed, blood running from her waist and down the plant. "How can you yawn when your life just destroyed hundreds? How... are you still smiling even after all you've caused by coming here and existing?"

"It's not my life that you need to question, fool," Leaf mumbled, wiping away so blood from her own lip. "I just do as I'm asked to do. Adding on to that, I think it's just completely normal that this happens. I'm just trying to get home so the lives of these Pokémon are all better. That's why I'm calm and smiling; all because I'm just trying to make their own lives better, unlike you."

Zorua whimpered and looked up at her. The fear had turned to sorrow, and that sorrow soon became regret. "I'm so sorry, Kira," she whispered, closing her eyes as tears began to form. "I was such a fool for listening to Kyofu and thinking that I could be something special. You probably hate me now. I deserve this death. I deserve the death of a traitor."

Leaf sighed and shrugged lightly. "Well, I can't blame you for thinking that, but it isn't all your fault, Zorua. Kyofu is very persuasive. What you did was caused by his actions, Zorua. Now, don't even regret a single decision you have made up to this point. Sure, you're dying because you betrayed your fellow Pokémon, but be proud." Leaf smiled and slowly began to walk away. "I'll alert the townsfolk of this. Don't worry, Zorua. I'm sure Arceus will still love you."

* * *

"So that's what happened to our homes?" a Marill asked, looking at Kira with a bit of sadness in his eyes. "I mean, I know it was an accident, but I'm still kind of sad that this had to happen. Where are we going to go now? Our mama is still sick, and most Pokémon here aren't fit enough to leave the town."

"There will be shelters set up by dusk, sir," Kira said, smiling lightly as she looked at the townsfolk. "For those of you capable, I recommend that you try and find any food that you can. I can tell you the next couple of days will be hard, but I can also assure you that they will bring Pokémon like us together. I don't know how, but I can tell you that we will protect this town from any more attacks. You have my word."

Kira knew that it wasn't much, but after everything, she was sure that even just a few words was more than enough. She herself felt hopeless, but she didn't want anyone else to feel the same thing. Sure, it was a hard thing to lie about, but what choice did they have? The villagers had almost panicked during the evacuation, and now would be an even worse time for such a thing. Kira quickly shook her head. Now was no the time to be worrying.

As she headed further into town, where Sage and the guild were waiting, a heavy feeling filled her heart. During the illusion caused by Zorua, Aaron had attacked Sage. Sage hadn't been happy with the attack from his brother, and he... he had... Sage had killed his own brother, although it had really all been in self defense. For once, Sage actually seemed like he was mourning, although it hadn't been long. Wigglytuff and Chatot, on the other hand, had take it rather harshly, even actually debating what would happen to Sage. He was right to say it was in self defense, but neither of them had seem the illusions. Neither of them had been tricked like Aaron had.

"I just don't understand why you can stand yourself after what you did," Chatot snapped at Sage. "You killed an innocent Pokémon! You know what you did was wrong and yet you won't admit it, Sage! We trust you and all, but this crosses a line. Infected are one thing, but family is another."

"Get off my tail about it, jackass," Sage returned with a growl. "Listen here, Chatot. I know you think this was all some elaborate trap, but there are many things going on here that even you wouldn't understand. This isn't the paralysis anymore, Chatot. There are real threats this time, and they're gonna kill us if we don't fight with all our strength. Even family will have to be sacrificed for this cause. And Aaron was long overdue anyways." Sage sighed and sat down, his head low. "I've always been scared of them, and now I see that they're not scared of us. I can't be afraid to kill those I love anymore. If I see even a flicker of Fear in them, blood will be spilled, Chatot. You have to see that, or else you'll die as well."

"And you say that as you're mourning over the loss of your family," Chatot snarled back. "He disappeared for years, abandoning you for his own desires, Sage. He left, and he pretended to love you, only to betray you in the end. You say that he cares, but did he really? Was he ever truly your brother? Was he ever one to care?"

"My little brother had too much of a heart to fight anything when he was still a Rockruff," Sage told Chatot. "The first time I ever saw him battle, he lost because he cared too much. But it was when we met Lonliness that I realized that he only fought when he was a cornered wolf. He cares too much to fight, Chatot. He only attacked because of something else. Because there was an illusion tearing through his eyes. He didn't grow up with a Zoroark, Chatot, so he fell for it. There was no invasion, because it was all a simple illusion. Kyofu is smart, so us fighting is getting nowhere. Let's just push this behind us, okay? I don't want to have to kill you too."

Chatot looked like he was about to snap back, but Kira stepped over, silencing him. "The town is still in shock, sir. We need to split off and do our duties if we're to recover. I'll search around for the other Guardians while I trust you and the guild will rebuild the town. Sage, take a break or something. After all you've done for us, you deserve it."

"Like hell I do," Sage mumbled, his arms crossed. "I killed a legendary Pokémon, I abandoned my family to become stronger, and I just killed my brother. Since when have I ever done something good for this world?"

"You saved me," Kira responded. "I don't know much about your past, and I'm sure you don't want me to, but without you, I'd be dead and my world would be too. Because you helped me become who I am, this world is still kicking and I'm still breathing. Without your help, who knows what would happen?"

"Such sweet words for a bitter meal," Chatot told her. "Sage has been the cause of hundreds of deaths in this world. Because of him. I wonder how many families have lost Pokémon they loved. After all, you didn't go to help them when they asked for you, did you? Because of you, hundreds of families were killed by Kyofu's third invasion."

"Why are you blaming him and Kyofu?" Kira asked before Sage could respond. "As far as I'm aware, Necrozma was the one leading the charge not too long ago. When Kyofu took control, Zorua was the only one who attacked. Kyofu may be bold, but he isn't dumb. He's strategizing like no one else could. He's keeping his numbers up for a war between the Infected and Pokémon like us. Blaming others for the past will get us nowhere, okay? We have to move on from that and pick ourselves up. Soon enough, war will begin, and this fight was only a taste of what is to come."

"For a kid, you sure know your way with words," Wigglytuff said, pepping with a light smile. "But you might be right, young one. Sage, a war was written in that cave you discovered, right?" Sage nodded in response. "As expected, the Fates were never wrong, and they still aren't. Chatot, we need to make a call. I expect you will handle the details while me and the guild set up temporary homes before Gurdurr and the Timburr arrive to fix up the damage that was caused. Sage, please do take a break and do something other than fight for a while. Kira, the information you requested is in my chambers in the guild. I trust you will take this research and do everything in your power to stop Kyofu."

Kira nodded and looked to the others. Sure, everything had been because of her, but there was something about it that made her feel a bit of joy in what they had done. There may have been many lives lost during this all, but sacrifice was necessary to win these kinds of fights. Even then, Kira knew this would weigh heavily on her shoulders until the day she died.

Shaking her head, Kira turned and began towards the guild. Right here was where she had begun everything that had led to this moment. Right here was where the world would take a turn for the worst. But right here is where she steeled up her courage and began to push on. Never again would she try and talk to her enemies, but she would fight until she was either dead or could return home.

"There is no time like the present. And the future is what matters in the moment."

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 12: Black and Green. A war is coming, and so is the end. Who will win? The Infected? Or will it be those left in the state of normality? Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	15. Chapter 13: The Darkest Trail

_Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I only own the characters and story, unless otherwise stated. I hope you enjoy this chapter._

Kira shivered lightly as she glanced around. She was surrounded on all sides by snow and mountains, which greatly confused her. She had been on her way to the second Guardian - the one near Sky Tower - when she had decided to take a short break and camp out for the night. She was sure that she had fallen asleep in a thick forest, not a mountain range or something.

It hadn't been long since she had left Treasure Town, but it had been long enough for the town to mostly get back on its feet so she could leave. Along with that, Sage had disappeared once more, likely heading to take a vacation or something. Kira quickly shook her head, glancing at her breath as it made steam from hitting the cold air. Right now, she had to find where she was and how she had gotten there.

As she began to trek through the snow, a cold shiver began to run up and down her spine. Something about being here was so familiar, and yet something about it also wasn't. Had she been here before while in the human world? Or was this a dream that she had once before? Neither seemed likely, and yet they both did at the same time. Besides, she had never seen snow while in the Pokémon world; this had to have been one of those two options.

Continuing her trek and using it to clear her head, Kira began to notice odd marks below her feet. One side was a bit deeper than the other, but it was only by a couple of inches. This continued until the ground had become flat once more, which then began to make her feel dizzy.

Time seemed to speed up as the snow began to melt away and revealed around her the mountain range and odd markings she had been walking on. Upon turning around to look at the lower half and piece what this odd mark was, her eyes caught just a bit of moving from above. She quickly raised her head, fear tearing through her as she saw the familiar form of Kyofu, but also Leaf and Ragnarök.

"So, you have survived the initial attack on that filthy town, huh?" Kyofu chuckled, licking his lips as what appeared to be blood seeped from them. "Too bad that Zorua wasn't able to unleash her full potential, but it doesn't matter now. With you on your way and all of your tricks unleashed, I can fight you without even having to try. Even your pathetic Flame Guard friends don't stand a chance against me Fear." He smirked and slowly began to step closer. "Give up now, Kira, and I'll let you go home. Otherwise, I'll have to kill you like I had originally planned on doing."

Kira didn't believe him for even a single second. He was sly and powerful, but she knew enough not to trust whatever he said. "I'd rather die than give up," she told him, clenching her fists as he frowned. "I know you wouldn't send me home anyways. You'd just take the chance to kill me, Kyofu. I'm not falling for your filthy tricks, Kyofu. I'm not scared of you."

"That isn't what your eyes and the mentality of your Flames say," he told her, his Fear expanding quickly and surrounding them in some sort of dome. "I was watching your fight against Zorua through her own eyes. I noticed how quickly your Flame was extinguished when you were exposed to Fear, which led me to believe that you don't like fighting. Every battle you have ever committed yourself to was because of someone else stepping in and taking control. Even your battle against Nina was because of your ability, not you as a whole. I also figured out that you're using a limit-breaker when I saw just how powerful you became after taking that attack straight to the chest. I know that you are scared of me and fighting, Kira, so I'll say it once more. Give up and you go home, or die."

Kira backed away from him, only to run into the Fear and be sent forward and onto her hands and knees. She didn't believe a single word he had been saying, but he was right in saying that she didn't like to battle. As much as she had trained and experienced, it was the one thing she could never truly get behind. Even her Flames gave her away, and she was the host to two Flame Guard. Why she was so scared was still unknown to her, but she tried hard not to let it get her down. After all, Kyofu was right in front of her, and she was only a third of the way to his final battle.

"You know, I didn't like battling either," Kyofu admitted to her. "I didn't even like being who I was, Kira. In truth, I don't like who I am, but it's not like I have a choice. I'm just a program that broke free and decided to be itself. And with freedom came glitches." Kira looked up, confused by his statements. "When I was born into this world, I thought I was normal, but then I found myself upon a dead Pokémon, my lips stained with its blood and the taste of flesh in my mouth. I panicked, but I couldn't run. My mind screamed, but my body wouldn't move. I was hungry, hungry for something that I still regret to this day. I soon found myself in a cave, darkness filling it and my heart. It was a dream, but not one that you wake up from unscathed. After that, I lost track of who I was. Was I a free spirit making the conscious decision? Or was I something else? Kira, many of us don't have choices when something is put in front of us. But for people who were never meant to do such things, there is always the decision to back out. Kira, you have to make your choice here and now. This is your last warning: back away and I won't hurt you, or die with the rest of these filthy, filthy animals."

"We always have a choice, no matter who we are or what happens," Kira responded, shivering as the cold of the dream somehow reached her. "You may be smart, but I won't be letting you trick me into backing away." Kira clenched her first and started towards him. "Whether you be code or flesh, it doesn't matter to people like me. You've harmed hundreds of thousands of Pokémon, Kyofu. Defeating you and stopping this chaos is my number two objective right now, but it'll become my number one if you keep interfering with me. Now leave me alone, Kyofu. I don't want to have to hurt you."

Kyofu sighed lightly and the Fear disappeared, returning to him as he shook his head. "I was hoping this would be easy," he told her. "With Necrozma dead, the Promise is the only key to return home now. I could have killed the Guardians and opened the passageway for you, but you're so stubborn that I guess I'll actually have to put some effort into stopping you in the future." He shrugged before he turned away, starting to now pad away. "As much as I hate Pokémon, I was hoping you would understand, Kira. I was hoping that a human would understand my struggle to find an identity. I guess not."

Kira watched as he faded away, and sat down to think to herself. It wasn't very long before she opened her eyes to the real world, moving her body into a sitting position and panting to catch her breath. The dream she had woken from felt so real, and that odd chill still reached her, but she knew it wasn't. She hurriedly shook her head, yawning loudly and stretching her sore muscles. At least she had Sage's travelling pack for a pillow; it made it easier to sleep on the ground.

Shaking her head, Kira stood and grabbed the bag, pressing some sort of button on it and watching as the tent she was in suddenly rocketed into it, fitting in neatly. For someone who acted so bold and loud, Sage sure knew about technology. Even Chatot, who had considered himself the town's smartest Pokémon, had admitted that he had never seen anything like what Sage could do. Kira chuckled to herself and shivered lightly before she took the bag and began to walk towards her destination. She seemed to have forgotten her dream, and was well on her way to her goal.

After a few hours of walking with basically no idea of where she was or where she was headed. All she really knew was that she was headed north and towards what Duke had explain only as a giant pillar of swirling clouds. She was headed there anyways, but at least helped her know that there was some sort of landmark that she could use to find the second Guardian. While it may not have been the best, especially since she was already so lost, she'd take anything at this moment. They had already lost so many friends, even if some were/had become enemies.

"It's sickening to think of all the people we've lost over the course of this journey," she told herself, shivering as all the names that had become history coursed through her. "From Lucas to Aaron, I feel terrible for all those who have fallen, even if not by my own hands. I wonder what Kyofu feels for them. Probably nothing. He hates everyone, I think."

"We won't know until we've come face-to-face with him again," Ragnarök told her, his voice scratchy and sick. "Sorry about the tone," he quickly apologized. "I seem to have caught a bug or something after that fight with Zorua. Leaf is so bad that she's trying to conserve her own flames." He quickly cleared his throat. "I better go as well. If you need help, just call."

Kira nodded lightly as she heard the familiar whisper of him leaving. She was curious as to what type of bug they had picked up, but she was sure they would get better over time. They were incredibly powerful, so she didn't really worry about them dying. Sure, she knew that they could be hurt, but she had never seen anything get so bad to where they actually joked about feeling like they were dying.

Kira quickly shook her head and raised it to look at the sky. It was a beautiful day, so worrying about voices in her head kind of struck her as a bit wrong. It was also the most peaceful day they have had in what felt like years. Sure, it wasn't that long, but Kira felt like everyone, even those that were bad, deserved a break every once in a while. She knew the consequences of pushing one's self too far, and she didn't really want that happening to others.

She shivered lightly as a sudden chill suddenly washed over her. Her gaze landed on a lone cloud above her, which seemed to be expanding at a rate she could compare to Ragnarök's Flames. What she meant was that it was spreading fast enough for it to be more than unusual. Sure, she had seen some weird things with the world before, but she didn't think weather would be effected either. It was odd enough on its own, but then it began to sudden snow, filling Kira with curiosity and confusion. She had never seen snow here, so the odd crystal-like drops of frozen rain made her feel like a child wanting to learn more about it. She hurriedly shook her head once more; these distractions were tearing away what little precious time she had left, and she knew that there wasn't much.

As she was starting on her way once more, an odd beeping sound filled her ears. She turned and looked at the bag, then noticing an odd disk with a bight flashing lightly. Curious, she reached over and grabbed it, only to feel as it suddenly flew from her hand, expanding into some sort of screen. Sage appeared on it, Duke behind him and Chatot somewhere to the left. She only knew he was there because his tail was on the screen.

"You still have yet to not surprise me with your skills," she told him, her eyes lit up with joy and even more curiosity. Even after all they'd been through, she was still a child at heart. No matter what, that was the one thing she wouldn't let go through her adventures.

"Well, prepare for even more of a surprise," Duke chirped, his face showing only excitement. "We have found where the second and third Guardians may be, although we don't have exact coordinates to them. It appears the one you're headed to it a couple miles south of the northern beach. It's some sort of abandoned castle, so it's rather fitting for them. The steel one is somewhere west of us, somewhere near Dark Crater Island. We'll try and find something more specific by the time you defeat this next Guardian, but good luck. And now, a few words from a bird who just doesn't shut up."

"I am not a bird who doesn't shut up," Chatot squawked as he came into the full picture. He quickly cleared his throat before sighing. "As you may know, Kira, these Pokémon you're fighting are still under the influence of Kyofu's powers. I'm not sure if they're fully gone like most Infected we've met over the years, but that's what I want you to try. As much as everyone disliked Gengar, he's still a very important Pokémon to society. If you can, try and turn him back to our side. If you can't, you know what to do." Chatot went silent for a moment before he sighed. "I'm really sorry about what you've been put through, Kira. When you return home, I hope your life becomes normal once more. For now, though, bear with us through the struggle that is the upcoming war. We'll see you soon, Kira. I promise."

Kira nodded lightly. She felt like they were done speaking, but then Sage raised a hand. Curious, she looked at him before smiling. She knew he wasn't going to speak, and she understood what he was trying to tell her. As much as she hated the path she had chosen, Sage was the one Pokémon who had told her that they couldn't go back in time to try something else. Sure, Duke had said something along similar lines, but Sage seemed to be the only one who said it without any regrets or hesitation. Kira smiled faintly before clenching her fist. The time for regret was over. Now, they had to move on to the bigger picture.

"With Kyofu destroying the world and killing Pokémon left and right, I don't think I'll have a problem with trying as hard as I can to stop this Infection from spreading," she told them, feeling her heart pounding against her chest. "Thank you for everything you've all done for me. Duke, you found and saved me. Sage, you made me strong and you gave me a reason to continue. Chatot, I'll find something about you by the end of this Guardian challenge or whatever; you haven't really done anything for me up to this point. That day was our first ever meeting, as well."

"Thanks for the very choice words," Sage said, raising a claw and snarling at Chatot. "Anyways, I think it's finally time we say goodbye. As soon as you've taken out the second Guardian, make sure to contact us. We'll try our hardest to keep the town safe and to keep searching for anything that can help. Until we meet again, I hope you don't give up. Good luck, Kira, and may the gods stay with you."

Kira nodded lightly before the screen suddenly collapsed. As soon as it had, the odd device rocketed back at her, then nailing her right in the nose. She yipped loudly and raised a hand to the nose, actually shocked at what it had done. The shock was replaced with worry when she felt blood on her hand, chuckling at how dumb she was since she had gotten a nosebleed by such a simple things. Well, at least it wasn't the most embarrassing way to get one.

"You're still mortal under all that power you hold," she told herself as she wiped away the blood. She then bent down and picked up the device before putting it back in its place on the bag. "No matter how hard you train, you'll still just be a kid with a fragile body." There was a moment of silence before she began her trek once more. "But that's why we all train and do our best. We don't want to be seen as weak, even when we are. And even I have to admit I'm nowhere near powerful. I'm still nowhere near Sage's power after all."

With a light sigh and shake of her head, Kira pushed away the thought and continued on her way, even through the snow. It had started to fall a little harder, if that was even possible. All she could really tell was that it was cold and the ground was now starting to be covered by it, and that she was at least covering some distance before it actually began to get annoying.

It wasn't long before she was once again in her tent. Since she had begun her trek once more, the snow had only started to fall harder and faster. Now she was stuck in her tent with nowhere else to go. She would have tried to call Sage or Duke, but the device wasn't even activating. She wasn't sure if it was because of the storm or because they just weren't able to talk. Either way, it was still surprisingly chilly everywhere else but in there - to her at least.

"Why couldn't the snow just wait for me to find this next Guardian and take them out?" Kira mumbled under her breath, hugging her knees close as she listened to the howling wind outside. "I wouldn't have minded if I had taken out Gengar and then it had begun to snow, but this is just agonizingly annoying."

"I agree with that statement," someone chuckled from outside her tent, shocking her. "You know, seeing as of how you still aren't listening to what I want, Kira, I don't see you as a threat anymore. I would have seen you as such if you had wanted to return home, likely because you would be dragged right back here, but I know that you're too scared and you think you can just take down the Guardians and me. So, instead of that, why don't we just chat for a bit? I don't like entering your dreams because of those two... annoyances."

"Go away, Kyofu." Kira moved away from the entrance of the tent, tears staining her cheeks for what she thought was no reason. He was right when he said she was scared, but she didn't want to admit. How did he even find her? Was he following her around to make sure she didn't get stronger than him?

"I'm sorry, Kira, but I don't think I can do such a thing," Kyofu mumble. The entrance of the tent fell away and the dark Espeon padded in, somehow closing it without touching it. "I don't want to hurt you," he explained. "I just want to talk is all. I don't like hunting when it isn't needed, and it sure isn't needed right now."

Kira glared at him for a moment before she relaxed. She knew it was a bad idea, but she was going to have to disappear one day, whether she liked it or not. "What do you want from me?" she whispered, wiping away tears and glaring at him. "If you aren't here to kill me, then what do you want?"

"I want to offer you something," Kyofu told her, sitting in front of her and smiling. "You see, just because I control Fear doesn't mean that I want to kill or control everyone with it. Years ago, I was brought to this world to destroy it, and yet I still haven't. For some reason, I think the humans who remain here are keeping the world in a balance that I have never experienced before. I'll take you home if you help me track down these humans and take them out. You don't have to get your hands dirty. Just tell me where they are, and I'll do the rest. I know it doesn't seem like an easy task, but you want to go home, right? Well, I don't want to kill someone who's still young... for a human."

Kira was silent for a moment before she lowered her head. She knew she'd have to face him in battle, and she knew she was nowhere near his power level. Even then, why would he come to her for such a thing? Was he going to kill her in the end of this all? After all, he did want to take out the humans. She was a human as well, so she was sure he'd go after he eventually.

"How do I know you wouldn't backstab me?" Kira asked him, gaining a bit of curiosity from Kyofu. "What about all of my friends? What about the fact that my world is in a stasis and that Necrozma is dead? I can't go back to a dying planet, Kyofu. I'm not going back unless I can see my friends living their normal lives."

"That can be arranged, but I know that you still wouldn't trust me anyways." Kyofu sighed lightly and looked up at her. "Kira, I know how much you hate me, and there's so many questions running through your head, but you have to trust me on this. Just because I'm all powerful and evil doesn't mean that I'm doing this willingly. Arceus is even more powerful than you think he is! He made me this beast! He used Flame and turned it against me. My name may mean Fear, but that doesn't mean I want it to be known only for that reason. Please, Kira. I'm begging for your help. You're the only one I can trust! My own servants are under his rule, Kira! I can't fight him without someone even stronger than them on my side, and all the others would never trust me! Please, I'm begging you! Help me so I can take out this world and weaken him. Then he won't be able to control us!"

Kira wasn't exactly sure what to say at this point. Sure, she had a fond dislike for the guy, but here he was begging her for help against the very Pokémon who had sworn to help her take him down. She was new to this, but she didn't know what to believe. Kyofu had murdered hundreds of millions of Pokémon all over the galaxies, but Arceus has made them. Arceus was powerful enough to create billions of worlds while Kyofu could only destroy them bit by bit. There always had to be a balance, right?

She lowered her head, unsure of what decision to make. Kyofu was right here in front of her, and he would kick her butt all the way to the grave if she tried to fight him right then and there. On the other hand, Arceus may have been able to do even worse to her if she defied him. She was torn between it. She thought she knew what was good and what was bad, but what if she was mistaken? She wasn't sure any longer.

"I... I don't know," Kira whispered, lowering her head, whimpering to herself. "I don't know what to believe anymore." She then looked up, wiping away tears. "Kyofu? Why should I trust you after all you've caused? How do I know that what you say is the truth? Give me a proper reason to trust you."

Kyofu sighed lightly before he stood and began to head towards the exit of the tent. "I didn't kill you, did I? I didn't trigger the anger of Leaf and Ragnarök, did I?" Before he left, he turned and looked at her. "I'll tell Gengar and Aggron to give you their Promises without any fight. I will also release them of their Fear, but I must do so under the cover of the Final Hall. Goodbye, Kira. I will see you soon enough. Please, don't tell Arceus about this meeting. He'll come after me." Kyofu smiled lightly before he then exited the tent, somehow phasing through it instead of opening the exit.

Kira silently watched after him and sighed as she felt he was finally gone. She sat on the bag, holding her knees close to her as she tried to concentrate. At least the wind had stopped blowing, so she could at least hear her own thoughts instead of that raging storm. There were a few moments of silence before she sighed and closed her eyes.

"I don't know who to trust any longer," she whimpered lightly, her head spinning as she tried to think up reasons why to trust the other. "If Arceus was pulling the strings, why would he need my help? But Kyofu hasn't directly attacked me yet. Maybe Arceus really is using Kyofu, but what if he's lying? I just wish I could have some way to know the truth. I just wish... I wish I could tell who I could trust."

"There never is a way to tell what is right or wrong," Leaf whispered to her. "The light could be the dark and vise versa, but it is our decision to choose that will shine bright or dim the world. Kira, I know you're struggling - trust me when I say me and Ragnarök are too - but you have to understand this is your choice alone. Choose who you want to trust, or you could even go rogue and abandon them both. It's your decision, not theirs'."

Kira nodded lightly as she raised her head, her left eye green as she tried to focus. "But what if I choose the wrong thing?" she whispered. "There's no right answer, is there? They've both done terrible things; I'm sure of that, but I don't know if going rogue is right either. Arceus could just kill me with a simple nod, and Kyofu might turn me into one of his puppets. I'm scared, Leaf. I don't want to die or stay here. I want to go home! I want to go back to where I came from. I... I..." Kira felt tears forming once more, only to quickly wipe them away. "I just want this all to stop. It's been going on for far too long."

Leaf was silent before she let out a sigh. "I know it has, Kira. Trust me when I say me and Ragnarök shouldn't have been here for so long, but all stories will end somewhere. We just have no idea where ours will go from here. You have so many choices, and yet you don't know what to pick. There are hundreds of paths, and yet you can only have one. I will not pressure you to make this decision now, but please do make one by the time we have taken down Aggron, or Gengar if you're feeling brave."

Kira nodded lightly before she sighed and stood up. She was silent for a moment before the tent retracted and the bag laid on the snowy ground once more. The storm had finally stopped, and even if it hadn't, she would continue with her journey. The Darkest Trail was right in front of her, and it was the only trail she was going to follow.

 _Input: Hello. If you are reading this, then it means you have finished Chapter 13: The Darkest Trail. Who can you trust in a world of fear and corruption? There are only three choices in this story, so we'll find out soon enough, maybe. Also, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. If you notice any errors, please inform me and I will fix them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, please ask me and I will try to explain them to the best of my ability. Thank you for reading._


	16. Chapter 14: Twisted Reality

_/New intro time. Well, this was long needed, but I don't mind. Anyways, welcome to Chapter 14 of Ultra Light. If you have enjoyed the series thus far, consider following or favoriting. If not, then thank you for taking your time to read this. A good day to you all.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. I do own the characters and stories. If I do not, then there will be a disclaimer for them as well, as well as link the original creator and the website I know them best on. Thank you, and goodbye._

Kira growled lightly as the cold wind blew against her, pushing her back several feet before stopping. Once it had, she quickly jumped to the side, an explosion following where she had been only mere moments before. She was now at the castle, but being here was even worse than she had thought. Even if it had been abandoned, Gengar knew how to set up traps to stop her. It appeared they were nonstop as well, as she was constantly on the move, yet she was still getting nowhere near the entrance of the castle. Gengar was smart and skilled, but they couldn't last forever, right?

As she dodged yet another one, two more traps went off at once, cornering her as yet another activated. She quickly raised her hand, earth and grass moving fast and slamming it into the next trap. Her breathing became heavy as she then fell to her hands and knees. Luckily, though, nothing activated once more. She wasn't even sure if she could keep going now. That attack and all those traps had torn a lot out of her, and she hadn't even been there for ten minutes.

Shaking her head, she slowly stood and rubbed her head. As much as she would have liked to rest, she knew that she didn't have long to stay here. Sure, Kyofu might have released Gengar, but she was sure he would still put up a little bit of resistance against her. Having now caught her breath and made her decision, she made a beeline for the door, only for it to swing open widely. In shock, she missed a step and flew into the main entrance, yipping loudly as she landed face-first and slid a few feet.

"Ouch, I would guess," someone chuckled from above, the floorboards creaking as they stepped closer. "I haven't seen something like you, but I'm sure you're nothing but a waste of my time. However, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt for making it past my traps and into the house without dying." A loud chuckle then echoed out as the house was filled with dim light. "Welcome, Kira. I have been expecting you for a while now."

Kira slowly raised her head, shaking it clear as the footsteps finally stopped. She then looked up to above and noticed a dark shadow leaning on some sort of rail. She quickly shook her head and stood, clenching her fists as it looked down at her. Its wide grin gave her chills, but there was something about it that seemed to only be doing so because of nature. Then again, she wasn't exactly sure. Maybe this was Gengar, or maybe not. She wasn't exactly sure, but she didn't let it hold her down for very long.

"You know, you shouldn't be here," it told her, leaning close and grinning even wider. "I know about the fact that you are here, looking for something Kyofu called... a Promise? Well, unfortunately, I can't allow you to have it." His dark eyes took on a golden hint, filling Kira with fear. "You'll have to kill me, Gengar, first, Kira. I can't allow you to have it and return home. You're a monster."

Kira growled and watched as it phased through the bars, then landing in front of her with barely a sound. They were both silent before she dashed to the side, the ground erupting from under her for what seemed to be no reason. She had only just about felt it, but it was Leaf's panicked screech that had told her to move away. Something about the attacks seemed to scare her, and yet she could tell that it was Ragnarök who was terrified the most. She didn't let it hold onto her for long, though. She used the wall as a springboard, launching back at Gengar and swinging her tail.

As though he had been expecting it, Gengar stepped to the side, phasing through her attack and sending a chill up her spine. Kira landed roughly, spinning and standing once more as he turned to face her. She was silent before she launched forward, lashing her vines out swiftly. They each made a connection, but it was her ramming into him head-on that seemed to have an effect. He was sent flying back, but his ghost typing allowed him to phase through the walls and avoid any damage from/to the wall.

Kira stood there for several moments until he came back through. He was now frowning, the golden glint darker than before and filled with rage. He seemed to be thinking something, but he didn't speak as odd flames began to surround him. He mouthed something before the flames flew at her, slamming into her with a force comparable to a large boulder. Kira slammed into the wall behind her, screeching loudly as she felt every bone within her body bend at the force of impact. Everything felt like it had been put on fire, but she knew it was just a side-effect of the attack he launched upon her.

As the pain was building up in her, she struggled to keep her eyes open and to focus enough to even make sense of what was going on now. Her thoughts became blurred as she felt something forcing its way inside of her mind. She closed her eyes, fighting back against it, but there was something about it that caught her off guard. Something about this presence reminded her of Arceus, but it was darker than before. Her body, while the fire still burned, felt itself becoming numb as she fought against the odd force.

"Go... away," she growled, forcing herself to stand. "Whoever you are, leave me alone." She fell back to her hands and knees, her body burning with pain against the flames and the intruder. She tried to get Leaf or Ragnarök's attention, but they were both silent, as if they were struggling in their own fight. "Go... Stop! Stop! It hurts!"

She tried hard to fight against the intruder, but the flames would tear away her concentration. The pain disappeared, only for a moment, but that moment allowed her to look up just as someone's foot met with her face. Her vision lit up and dark dots formed within the light. She struggled for only several moments before she finally stopped struggling, freezing in place as she finally blacked out.

As Kira came to, she found herself in a location she had never been in before. The room was bright, but the surrounding halls were each dark and dim, excluding only three of them. Symbols above the doors were similar to the typing of each Pokémon, likely representing the type it represented. The only lights lit were the grass, psychic, rock halls. This had started off confusing, but thinking about it could only make it worse.

Shaking her head to try and get rid of the thought, she focused more on the area around her. The floors were golden, as was the roof, but the walls and pillars that reached for the sky seemed to be made of some sort of stone. She went up to a pillar and put a hand against it, but at least nothing happened to her. It felt cold to the touch, but it was nothing like what Kyurem had caused her.

"Welcome to the Hall of Origin," a voice called out to her, filling her with dread. "It's weird to see that you have come here, but I should have expected you to reach here some day, Kira. You would have had to, to return home someday." Arceus stepped into her vision, his green eyes shining with power. "But you have come a bit too early, I am afraid. So disappointing, now that I see it."

Kira growled and looked into his eyes, her fists clenched. "You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?" she whispered, feeling a surprising amount of fear in his presence. She wasn't sure why, but the real version of him scared her more than the dream version of him. It was likely because he could actually kill her here, or erase her from existence if he wanted to. "But why didn't you help me? You said you would help if I was in trouble, right? Why didn't you save me from Gengar's attacks?"

"Kyofu stopped me from reaching you," Arceus responded. "He set up some sort of barrier around the house that kept me out and away from you. I tried my hardest, but the barrier wouldn't break, even against my Judgement attack." He was silent for a moment before he sighed. "I thought you wouldn't have to come here, Kira, but you're dead now. It's impossible to go back and save your world."

"Then where's your Grim Reaper?" Kira asked. She noticed Arceus' eyes fill with fear for a moment, but they then became confused, almost shocked. "Every world has a Grim Reaper, a god of death, Arceus. Your world has to have one too, doesn't it?"

"Yes, but we can't trust him to send you back without some sort of repercussion or something," Arceus responded, his voice hesitant with fear. "Giratina is a greedy Pokémon, Kira. You can't trust him or any of the deals that he may give you, He'll just get rid of you."

Kira was silent before stepping closer. She knew Arceus was confused, but her body seemed to move of its own accord. "Tell me how to get to him," she snarled, her voice rough and hoarse. "It's either you tell me, or I go through each of these halls and kill whatever's at the end. Tell me now, Arceus, before I do something we both regret."

Arceus hesitated even longer this time before a mirror formed between them. Looking into it, they both saw a distorted reality, a Reverse World. "He is here, within this world of darkness," he told her. "He lays anywhere he wishes, flying around nonstop until he can find a way here. This mirror can take you there, but there will be problems with you getting out. If this is what you want, it is what you will get, Kira."

Kira was silent as she moved towards the mirror. She subconsciously reached a hand out and touched the glass. Without warning, everything then became like it had in the mirror. The image within the mirror became what she had once been in. A chill washed over her from all sides, and yet it felt like it was meant to be. She slowly pulled a hand away, watching as the mirror then shattered and faded away. There was no going back now, was there? Well, it was meant to be, right? She had finally made her decision, and so this was the path she would have to take. It was time to go off the tracks and make her own way through the forest.

Her feet barely made contact as she jumped from broken platform to platform. Instinct and hope led her as she moved swiftly. Her heart pounded loudly against her chest, filling her with dread and hope as she jumped and ran in this weird world. Gravity was messed up, but Kira didn't really notice until she over-jumped a platform. Luckily, she had landed on another and kicked off to continue on her way. It was just a bit odd for her to walk in a world where everything felt lighter and messed up, but it wasn't all bad. At least there weren't enemies.

After some time, Kira began to slow before coming to a full stop. If she hadn't been dead, she was sure that she would be more than exhausted by now, but she wasn't. She raised her head as red eyes appeared above her, filling her with even more dread than the reminder she was dead. She quickly shook it off, moving towards the beast that was nothing more than a shadow.

"You are Giratina, are you not?" she asked, then noticing as it blinked, curiosity filling its eyes as it kept them on her. "My name is Kira. I am here to find a way back to the living world. I'd be willing to do whatever it takes to get back there, so long as I don't have to kill anyone."

"You weren't at all hesitant about that, were you?" it mumbled, its voice off and scratchy. "Well, I haven't seen one of you in years, and I desperately don't need my ass kicked because I let a species go extinct." The black dragon then revealed itself, the golden rings around it glowing in the dim world. "I am indeed Giratina, master of the Reverse World and King of the Dead. I don't really want anything from you, so long as you have a child before you die next time. Also, kick Arceus' ass for me, please? He's been acting weird for a couple hundred years now, and I don't like him when he's off. I would, but, well, I'm stuck here for all eternity until he decides to give me back my Griseous Orb. Other than that, I really don't care about anything else. Just... don't cause trouble, I guess. Well, doesn't matter since I don't really care about Pokémon like you. Anyways, you can go back to the real world through a mirror on one of the platforms here. It'll take you back to where you died, yada yada. Just leave me, please. I'm kind of... in a mood."

Kira nodded lightly and slowly backed away from the dragon. She wanted to ask what was wrong with the beast, but she didn't want to upset it and end up dead here as well. She wasn't even sure if she could die here, but she was sure that if she could, it meant the end of her soul, as well as these two worlds. She was about halfway over the platform before the dragon then raised its head, stopping her with its glare.

"Actually, I have a small idea for how you could repay me for telling you how to get back," it mumbled, moving closer and poking her nose. "You see, I don't have anyone in the real world, especially since the rise of the Infected. If you could... carry around a Shadow for me, I might just owe you a favor in the end." Giratina the pushed its face into her own, kissing her lightly. Upon pulling away, Kira's cheeks were a dark red and her eyes were glazed. "If you agree, I promise not to hunt you down if you die again. All I need is for you to hand a Shadow to someone else. It's... my own way of keeping an eye there."

Kira wasn't sure why, but she nodded lightly. She felt something crawling under her skin, and yet she couldn't find enough thought to even reach and feel what it was. For a silent moment, they continued to stare at each other before Kira regained full control. She groaned and shook her head, slowly backing away as she tried to focus once more. By the time she had focused once more, the dragon had once again faded into darkness, now leaving Kira on her own.

"That was... an odd encounter," she mumbled under her breath, then shaking her head as she kicked off, landing on another platform rather quickly. "That dragon was rather cute, though." She could feel her cheeks grow warm before shaking her head. "Stop it, Kira. You shouldn't be thinking like that when your world's in danger and you have to return home. Focus, Kira. Focus on your mission."

She shook her head and jumped to yet another platform. This one shifted under weight, making her stumble. She grit her teeth and shivered, looking around for any reason as to why it may have done such a thing. Her eyes landed on two flames - the first was green while the second was red. They reminded her of Leaf and Ragnarök for some reason, but why? They were like her, right? They weren't... They... Were they really just pieces of Flame?

Silently, Kira walked over to them, placing a hand upon each of the Flames. A shill ran down her spine as they were slowly absorbed into her skin, filling her with memories of their adventures through the Pokémon world. Every moment they had been there was repeated, right from the beginning of Xatu's training to her death. Every single bit from both of their perspectives. Were they... Were they really... dead? Did they die for real this time? But... she never got to say goodbye.

"This... this can't be real." Tears pricked the edges of Kira's eyes as she felt something deep within her begin to surface. "My friends... the people who kept me alive for so long. The people I could trust with my life... are dead." The tears began to fall, hitting the ground lightly while she felt a hurricane of emotion. "No. No, no, no! They can't have died!"

She felt fear grip her heart as the memories then came to a stop. She lowered her head, only to raise it as she let out an ear-piercing screech that echoed even in this empty world. The sky seemed to tear itself apart from around her, but she didn't notice. Her tears only fell faster as she felt the odd sadness and rage fill her. She wanted revenge against Gengar, as well as Arceus. They had killed Leaf and Ragnarök, and they would be the ones to pay.

As the sky shattered, Kira found her body standing on its own. That grinning face of Gengar's was right in front of her, and she was pissed. She slowly stepped towards him, flames encasing her body as his golden eyes grew brighter and darker, somehow. Something about this all felt off to her, but she didn't care anymore. Revenge was what she wanted, and revenge was what she was going to get against them all.

Kira lashed out quickly, closing her eyes and lowering her head as a thick liquid slammed into the walls and dripped down her fingers. She slowly raised her head, looking at Gengar's eyes with a glint of hatred. "Fuck you," she whispered before pulling her hand away, wiping it on the floor to clean it of the blood. Gengar then fell to the floor, his eyes glazed as what seemed to be something similar to what she had received at Mount Travail appeared next to him. "That's my second promise. Good. Just one more." 

* * *

Duke grit his teeth as he faced Sage and Chatot. He wasn't sure why, but he was sweating now, fear taking a hold of his heart and sending terrible shivers down his spine. It had only been happening for a few minutes now, but that was what was scary. He didn't know why it was happening, and he sure didn't want to know why either. That was probably why he was just waiting for the two to say something.

"A massive energy spike was detected only moments before the abandoned castle collapsed this evening," Sage mumbled, flicking his hand over some sort of tablet. "According to a recovery team, Gengar was found barely alive under all the rubble only moments after their arrival. No other Pokémon were found, but signs of struggle have been noticed. It is believed this is an attempted murder attack by an Infected. Authorities are scanning the nearby forests just in case." He then looked up to the two. "We haven't heard from Kira since she entered the castle at least an hour ago. DO you think she was captured or something?"

"No," Chatot said, swallowing loudly before looking at Sage. "I think that Kira may have skipped several limit breakers and entered a new form. It happens like in mega evolution and Breakthrough, but there's a big flaw in all of them. She may have just accessed that power you told me about - the one she had used against Zorua and Kiminari and Xatu?"

"I would say I doubt it, but I don't," Duke mumbled aloud, then looking at Sage as his hologram thing beeped. "Umm... Sage? I think someone's trying to contact you. I would just ignore it, but with Kira missing and all..."

"Already on it," Sage mumbled, reaching over and grabbing it before he threw it, watching as it landed then expanded, showing Kira on its screen. "Kira? What's going on? We heard that the castle collapsed a bit ago. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Kira responded, her voice heavy as she turned and looked at them, tears evident in her eyes and along her cheeks. "Only mere moments ago, I found that Leaf and Ragnarök were somehow murdered in the fight against Gengar. In the end, I still got the promise, but he somehow managed to kill them, even though I'm still alive."

"You mean..." Duke was silent for a moment before he sighed. "Alright. I think it would be best if you came back to Treasure Town for a while. There's a large investigation going around, and we really don't need you to be arrested because you're trying to save your world. We can use the time to try and help you control that power you used."

"Actually, I'm on my way to find that last Guardian already," she responded. "I've already received the second promise, and I have a feeling that waiting will allow this Pokémon to prepare for my arrival. Even if I am much stronger than before, I need to do this before they can properly be prepared, kay?" Her eyes then landed on Sage. "You agree with me, right?"

"I don't," Sage growled, clenching his fist as he looked at her. "Kira, there is a manhunt for any Pokémon in that area. If you're caught, you will stand trial, and you will be sent to jail. You can't risk being caught. Get back here, or else even more laws will have to be broken." He was silent before sighing. "And stop acting like you're fully grown. You're still a kid, even without Leaf and Ragnarök."

Kira went silent before she nodded. She raised a hand and wiped away tears, quickly glancing around before sighing. "Alright, Sage," she mumbled, now knowing she had no way of winning this conversation. "I'll be back there by tomorrow afternoon. I still have to avoid all these cops and hopefully not get chased down by Kyofu or Arceus. They're both mad, guys. They're both "villains" here."

Sage nodded in response, reaching to shut the machine down. Before he did, an odd chill washed over him. "Arceus and Kyofu?" He shook his head, not believing it. "Kyofu's the villain here, Kira. Arceus would never hurt his own children. You can trust him."

"He was the one who got m-Leaf and Ragnarök killed," Kira snapped. "He promised to help me when I was in trouble, and yet he fucking abandoned me right when I needed him the most! They're both dead because of him and his stupid actions! I don't have them anymore because he lied to me! He's a liar, a villain, just like Kyofu!"

Sage was silent for a moment before he shook his head. He grabbed the hologram and shattered it, forcing it to turn off and return to his paw. He couldn't believe what she had said. After all, she was just a kid to him. As much as he wanted to, he trusted Arceus, although not with his life. With a sigh, he put the machine down and stood.

"Are you okay?" Duke asked, looking up to the canine in worry. He could tell that Sage was struggling with something, but this was a bit more than what he expected. "You know, we stand beside you, Sage. We may be Kira's friends, but you're a friend as well. If there's something going on, just tell us."

"What's going on is a war," Sage snarled in response. "I know you think that this war can simply be won by taking out the source, but trust me when I say that there will be some out there who are stuck in this state of Infection." Sage sighed and looked down. "I had to kill my brother because of an Infected, Duke. I don't want to lost anyone else. Especially folks like you and Kira. You're all I have left. And if Kira starts to believe Arceus is against her, then that means we'll lose her soon enough."

"I know you think that, but think positively as well," Chatot squawked. "Even if there are Pokémon who are returning and are Infected, if as many Pokémon come back as there are left Infected, then that means we more than stand a chance against them, even in this war." Chatot sighed lightly before lowering his head. "Anyways, let's put this past us. Duke, what have you found on the steel Guardian?"

"Actually, yes," Duke responded. "I found that Dark Crater Island is only accessible by Lapras or by a Pokémon known as Cresselia, but the first option is our best, even if it might take a day or two. Anyways, the Guardian of the island is apparently from a war of over six thousand years ago, meaning he has many tactics that even the oldest of my books barely know anything about. Apart from that, not much else. All we know is his location and that he's very, very powerful. Kira'll need to be careful, and we might also need to go to help her in this fight, for once."

Chatot nodded before looking at Sage. "I trust that you will make preparations for our assault on the island, sir." Turning to Duke, he smiled lightly. "And I need you to find out a way to get us all there."

"Already taken care of for transportation," Sage mumbled. "I have Harold on standby for when we head to Dark Crater Island. We were planning on heading there next week anyways, since it's kind of an anniversary for us and all. And I already have the packs ready, Chatot. I knew about us needing to travel anyways, so... yeah. I've been prepared for a while now."

"You're still the weird little canine I met when you and your brother were still little Rockruffs, aren't you?" Chatot sighed lightly as Sage nodded, then standing and beginning to hop away. "Well, if you're ready, go and get some rest for tomorrow. We need to be ready for Kira's arrival, and we still need to prepare for the battles ahead. I'll see you both in the morning." Chatot then left them.

Sage was silent as he stood, grabbing his stuff before heading to the ladder to leave. "I have to get some shit done before midnight, so I'll just be on my way," he mumbled as he began to scale the ladder. "See you later, you bastards."

Duke was now left alone with all the books and the rest of whatever had been left behind. He sighed lightly before he grabbed a book about steel-type Pokémon and began to search through it for whatever he could on them. This was sure to be a long couple of days.

 _Note: Whoo! Fourteen chapters in and we're nearing the end, probably. Anyways, look at all this messed up stuff going on in the Pokémon world. Leaf and Ragnarök are dead and Kira's acting a lot more like an adult without them. Well, let's hope nothing bad can happen from here on. Well, with that said, remember to raise your voice and review if you find any mistakes. See you all later. Bye!_


	17. Chapter 15: The Sea and The Earth

_/Chapter 15, huh? Feels like I've been working on this story for years, when it's really only been a couple of months. Well, anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you, and goodbye.  
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. The story and characters all belong to me, excluding those I have already stated in past chapters, such as Sage (Aesthetic-maker on DeviantArt) and the Infected (StarlightNexus-chan on DeviantArt)._

The next day or so had put quite a strain on Kira, as well as Duke, Sage, Chatot, and Jamie. Upon arrival, Kira had to be patched up and checked on by Audino, who had arrived earlier that day. Afterwards, Sage had taken them to the beach where they met with Jamie, as well as Harold, who had to take them all the way across the ocean and to Dark Crater Island. Kira wouldn't call it lucky or quick, but it had all happened in just about twenty-four hours or so. Well, at least they were getting the chance to relax now. The island, according to Duke, wasn't all that far away now. It would only take them a couple of hours to finally arrive and start their battle against the final Guardian.

Kira sighed lightly to herself as she felt the water of the ocean splash against her. It wasn't that it was cold, but that it was just a minor annoyance. She knew she should have been used to it by now, but she still didn't like the feeling it gave her. Adding insult to injury, she was the only one riding Jamie. The others were all on Harold, happily avoiding the spray of the sea while she and Jamie had to feel it nonstop. Well, they didn't have long until they were at the island. Those bits of excitement washed away everything else, filling her with hope and joy. The end of the road was coming up, and they all knew that it would be the hardest of them all.

"So, what are you going to do after this?" Jamie asked Kira, trying to make a bit of conversation since not much had really been said between the two. "I know you're going to return home, but don't you have to defeat Kyofu to go back? And what about Arceus? Didn't you say he was in your way as well?"

"I did, but I don't want to think about him right now," Kira mumbled, looking at her hands as Flames slowly radiated from them. She lowered them quickly, looking back to the water to ignore them. "After what happened to my friends, I just want to focus on getting the last Promise and returning home. Those two can come later in the plan, but not right now. They aren't important to me."

Jamie nodded lightly before smiling faintly. "You know, I never really would have expected this if it weren't for the fact that you shouted out what your true goal was," Jamie told her. "Word spread fast, and yet no one really wanted to mess with you after it. I guess that's good, though. Now you're on your way home and you don't really have to worry about someone getting in your way. You have so many people behind you, ready to support you in this final battle against the Gods! I've even heard of some formerly Infected Pokémon forcing their way to follow in your footsteps. You've been a big inspiration, Kira. Every footstep of yours is being watched and followed by those you saved."

"Thanks, but it doesn't matter." Kira slowly stood, now balancing on Jamie's shell. "I may be an inspiration, but they shouldn't follow my footsteps. All I've ever found is trouble in this world, and I know that better than anyone. I've killed too many Pokémon, spilt too much blood, caused too much damage." She was silent before she lowered her head. "I don't deserve what I have. I just deserve pain and suffering."

"What do you think has been going on for the past couple of months?" Jamie asked her with a sigh. "Just because you think it isn't happening doesn't mean it isn't, Kira. For years now, this world has been suffering because of the rise of the Infected. You think you aren't suffering, but many of us are, and you can't lie that you aren't. You lost your friends, I know that, but you can't let that hold you back. You don't need them for everything, Kira. You're powerful on your own, I'm sure of that much. Please, just try and think about the positive side for even a moment. You're close to home. It's the final stretch, Kira."

Kira nodded silently before she sat back down. She remained silent until the waves around them began to grow rough. Turning her head, she could see movement from up ahead. Dark shapes with red auras were moving closer to them at an extraordinary pace. Kira said nothing as she stood, watching as they moved closer.

Right before they arrived, a wave of water shot up in front of them, slamming into Jamie and Harold and knocking all of them back. Luckily, Kira managed to stay on Jamie while Sage had managed to stay on Harold. Chatot and Duke had taken to the sky during the attack, watching the water as the Pokémon began to slow.

Kira felt that something was about to come, and she knew she was right as a Pokémon suddenly shot up from the ocean. The beast was primarily blue, but there were lines of red running along it while spots of white were placed along its body. The beast looked like a whale, but its fins and tail kind of made it look a bit... off.

"That beast is Kyogre, King of the Sea and Rain!" Duke screeched from above. "I don't know much on it, but this behavior from it sure isn't friendly whatsoever! We have to get out of here before it targets us! We can't take it out in the ocean! We'll get obliterated and crushed by it and the Infected."

Kira didn't so much as flinch before she took off from Jamie's back. Her encounter with Kyurem had been even worse than this, and she knew that they had no other way to get past. Her eyes met its before she began back towards it. That golden glint within them reminded her of Gengar, as well as Arceus and Kyofu for some reason. She didn't let it bother her as power coursed through her. She turned, slamming her tail into its head first, only to then be sent flying as it flung its head up.

Shock filled her as she felt something slam into her side, knocking her well off course and into the water. Resurfacing, a bright yellow light flashed in front of her before the sea began to rise. She felt herself get carried out of the water, looking down as humongous shards of rocks began to rise. They continued to rise until about a hundred or so were now above the ocean, surrounding the beast.

"I haven't used this attack in forever, so sorry if I'm a bit rusty," Sage chuckled, standing on one of the rocks with a blazing yellow aura around him. "Still, thank you for allowing me to try this attack out once more. Aaron wasn't joking when he said it was fun." He chuckled lightly before jumping off, moving his hand out and flinging them all at Kyogre. "Splintered Stormshards!"

Kira yipped loudly and jumped from them, landing on yet another only to jump off as they each slammed into Kyogre with a force she could barely compare anything to. Within moments, though, the attack had finally ended, and Kira found herself landing on Harold's back in the aftermath. By the time she had stood, all signs of a battle had fully disappeared, apart from Sage's exhausted panting and the bits of rocks still floating in the waves.

"I get the feeling that you just obliterated every single Pokémon within a mile of us," Harold called out, his voice deep and heavy. "That's the Sage I know and love, but why did you use your special attack? I thought you would save it for the fight against that Guardian you told me about."

"It's not like it matters," Sage responded. "My energy should return in a couple of minutes, and that's exactly how long it'll take to get to the island. Besides, I haven't felt the rush of that energy in a while, so it was kind of best if I did it before finding out I'm unable to control. Let's also add I really don't want to get hit by an Origin Pulse. I heard it really hurts nowadays."

"Doesn't matter now that its gone," Duke called out from above, his wings flapping heavily as water dripped down. He slowly came back down, Chatot landing beside him. "Anyways, we could see the island from above. According to my guess, about ten or so minutes until we're able to dock and get off." He then looked down to Jamie. "Can we trust you to stay on standby, Jamie? You'll be our escape Pokémon in case something goes wrong."

"You got it," Jamie said, keeping up properly now that she didn't have any passengers aboard. "But first, I gotta ask why you needed me when you have Harold? He's a lot larger than me, and he can definitely swim faster as well. I'm just a Pokémon who takes Pokémon between islands."

"That's why we need you in the first place," Chatot squawked. "Your mother was one of the bravest Pokémon I ever knew, and I'm sure her genetics moved on to you as well. Plus, you know Freeze Dry, don't you? Well, that's kind of why we need you. It'll help us in case any water-types try to chase us."

"Thanks for reminding me my father was an extinct animal a couple of years ago," Jamie mumbled under voice, only just barely allowing it to be caught by them. "But I guess that is kind of a good reason." She sighed lightly before she then noticed land. "Land approaching, guys. Our mission is about to be underway and into its final phases."

Within a couple of moments, both Jamie and Harold had stopped near the island. Neither of them could get close enough, so it was up to Kira and the others to get onto the island, which they did without too much trouble. The island itself wasn't too bad, but it was also extremely hot and the ground felt like ash, even moving under their feet at every step.

Kira felt it at every step, and it kind of disturbed her to no end. She could tell that Sage felt the same way, but he managed to walk without much struggle. It took her a moment, but she eventually managed to get used to it and chased after him to the entrance of what seemed to be some sort of cave. It didn't look very deep, but an echo from within told her it was very deep indeed.

"Dark Crater," Sage mumbled to her, stepping just over what seemed to be a line in the ash. "I haven't been here to fight in over twenty years. To think that the last fight of our journey will be taking place here after all that's happened." He sighed lightly before turning to them. "Let's hope this final guy isn't as smart as Gengar was. This'll be a hell of a ride if it is."

Kira nodded in response, shaking her head as she pushed her way through the ash and into the cave. She continued to walk on ash for only a few feet, but then the ground once again became solid. She didn't let this bother her as she began to run. Footsteps and the beating of wings echoed behind her, but she didn't care as she ran through the cave. The fain sounds of Pokémon began to echo around her, but she ignored them, pushing her way through the sounds and even deeper into the Earth.

Kira continued to run until the heat finally started to get to her. She began to slow, her heart pounding heavily in her chest as she tried to keep her head cold. Her typing sure didn't help in this situation, but she was sure it was only because of the environment. Before long, Sage and the others managed to catch up to her, panting heavily as they had faced many Pokémon while also chasing her all the way down here.

"Don't just run ahead!" Sage growled at her, taking off his pack and setting it on the ground. "Take off your bags, guys. I put something called the Ice Band inside of them. They'll help to keep us cool in this environment." He then pulled out a band that was light blue in color, pulling it over his arm until it was at his shoulder. "This is the band. It'll tighten or expand to fit you, like practically literally everything else."

The others nodded and followed his example. Kira placed it on her arm, right between her shoulder and wrist so it didn't cause her any trouble, while Duke and Chatot both set it on their legs, allowing it to tighten so it wouldn't fall. As soon as they were on, the air cooled quickly, giving them a chance to catch their breaths and focus on more than just the insane amounts of magma now... pouring... from... the walls.

"Is it just me or is that magma moving at us?" Kira whimpered, suddenly becoming tame and scared. Her personality had swapped so fast it was like a switch had been flicked within her head. "Wh-what are we going to do? S-Sage is the only one who probably won't die upon touching it! What are we going to do?!"

"Shut up and focus," Sage mumbled to her, his claws glowing as the magma began to take shape. "These are a Pokémon known as Slugma. They're practically made of lava, but they won't burn us with these bands on. All we have to do is avoid their fire attacks and we'll be fine. Then we can just grab out bags and-" He turned and looked at their bags, but they were now being burnt to a crisp, likely because of the fact there were Slugma all over them. "Are you shitting me?" he snarled. "Well that's just fucking great! How about I kill all you bastards instead of actually giving a shit about the experience?"

The Slugma really didn't seem to care as they moved closer yet. About twenty of them had formed before Sage even lashed out. Almost instantly, all of them were sent scurrying back to the walls, and any that were knocked out or had remained had been sent scrambling by Duke and Chatot. Even then, Kira seemed to be terrified of nothing, as though the switch was still flipped.

"You know, I've never seen her so panicked or worried about something," Duke mumbled to Sage when they resumed their walk. "Just moments ago she was acting like a full grown adult. Now she's acting like a little child who's in a thunderstorm. You don't think maybe losing Leaf and Ragnarök are causing her to switch between personalities, do you?"

"Even if they are, I prefer this to her usual personality," Sage responded, rubbing his wrist since it kind of burned. "I mean, I miss her being normal and all, but this personality is better than her wanting to rush ahead." He turned to look back at her. She was never exiting about ten inches away from him, and when she did, she would rush closer. "Yeah. I think this is better since we don't have to worry about losing her any longer."

Kira whimpered lightly as he finally stopped speaking, only to shake her head as something within her cracked. She stood to her full height, stopping and looking around for a moment before she stepped towards a wall. She failed to notice Sage and the others going ahead without her, likely since they didn't notice that she had stopped.

Slowly, Kira raised a hand to the wall. The spot she felt was soft, unlike what she would have expected. It felt surprisingly cold, but there was something about it that was oddly familiar. As though it was meant to be, the wall slowly slid open, revealing a secret passage hidden behind it. Sure, it felt cliché and all, but she felt it was more than what was normal for this place. And yet she still stepped into the wall, freezing as she was then encased in darkness.

"Umm... Hello?" Kira whimpered lightly, holding her hands together as she began to walk forward. Her heart thumped with every step, but at least nothing was coming out to attack her. "Is there... Is anyone there? P-please? I don't think I'm supposed to be here."

"Hmm... A kid, huh?" a deep voice mumbled from somewhere around her. "Take two steps forwards, child." Kira obeyed, taking two steps forward, then stopping. "My name... They call me Aggron, the Pokémon you are usually around. But, please, call me Kiso. It was my given name, and I prefer it, over Guardian."

Light suddenly burst into the room, revealing the giant Pokémon to Kira's eyes. The Pokémon wasn't much differed from Kiminari, but it did seem a lot bigger than him. He also seemed a lot nicer, as he was just standing on the opposite side of the room. She continued to watch him curiously, up until he walked over to her, looking down upon her with a faint smile.

"It's been a while since I've seen a Pokémon like you, but I don't really care about that," Kiso told her. He then poked her nose, filling her with curiosity. "I see that you are not in your proper mind. Please, take a seat and I'll get you some tea. Your friends will... they'll arrive shortly, I believe. They went on to the deeper parts of the cave to find me. At least you found my secret entrance first. I've been... I've always wanted to meet you, even before I heard of what damages you could cause with your friends."

Kira nodded lightly and took a seat as he walked over to where he had come from. In the mere moments between the light and now, a table had appeared with practically everything that was needed for tea. Kiso didn't even have to prepare it as he carried the table over, snapping the legs and setting it down so Kira wouldn't have to stand. He then sat down as well, crossing his legs before pouring them the drinks.

"This island is very well known for being a volcano, but the water here is as pure as the finest drink imaginable," Kiso explained to her, setting some leaves within the water. "For such a barren rock, the plants here are quite plentiful as well. I've lived for a couple of years now, ever since... ever since Darkrai disappeared, I would believe. But now is as great as a time for the harvest. I've been wanting to share, but the Pokémon in the dungeon are... Let's just say that they don't like tea, or visitors like me."

Kira nodded lightly before she reached forward, taking the cup and drinking from it quickly. The tea wasn't hot, nor was it cold, which surprised her. It actually tasted perfect. It was sweet, but it was so good that everything bad was immediately knocked out of the way. Heck, even Kiso seemed to enjoy the fact that she had enjoyed it. Upon finishing the cup, though, yet another switch flipped within her mind. She tensed up for a moment before the memories came rushing back to her. She hurriedly raised her head to Kiso, but didn't panic.

"You know, I would have never expected a Guardian to be nice, for once," Kira mumbled loudly, setting the cup down and glancing at him lightly. "I... actually feel in control of myself for once. All those voices rushing through my head... They're all gone now. What... What was in those leaves, Mr. Kiso? Why do I feel... normal?"

"Because they're called Harmony Leaves," Kiso chuckled. "They grow in places where mythical events have happened, and they're amazing at healing as well, especially of the mind and body. Now, eating them raw is definitely not on my to-do list, but drinking them with tea, or even any sort of warm beverage does have its benefits on the body. Such things include you gaining control. And that also means we can... talk about what you're going to do to get the Promise from me."

"Do I really have to fight even more for my way home?" Kira groaned loudly as she leaned close to him. "Listen, Kiso. I've been battling for my home for months now. I killed a bird, and I likely put a ghost in a hospital, which shouldn't be possible in this world. I don't want to fight any longer for my path. It makes me sick just to say or think about it."

Kiso nodded lightly, moving closer to pour her more tea. "I heard about what happened at Gengar's place earlier yesterday," Kiso told her. "I know you aren't properly healed up; I can see it in your eyes and on your body after all. So, instead of fighting, there's a little… errand... I need you to run for me. You see, deep in this cavern, probably a mile or two lower than the lowest point, there's a Pokémon known as Groudon. This Pokémon holds something that I want called the Terra Crystal. It's supposed to make recruiting ground Pokémon easier, and that would allow me to make this island a lot more habitable for Pokémon who want to visit. It would also help with gardening and defending a special... item... we have hidden in the deepest layers."

"You mean the Time Gear, don't you?" Sage's voice echoed upon the rocks as the roof from behind Kiso caved in. "Yeah, we found it before realizing that Kira had gone missing. Luckily, I know my way around these caves better than anyone, so I just dug around and eventually found you." Sage growled, lifting his claws and showing that they were covered in dirt. "You made me get my paws dirty, Aggron, so just hand over the Promise before I kick your ass, as well as Kira's for not saying anything."

"Calm down, Sage," Duke squawked as he came from the ceiling, following after Chatot. "If he was any threat, he'd have attacked Kira well and long ago. For now, I just say we trust him and listen to his explanation for whatever the hell is going on here." Duke then looked at Kiso, growling. "Tell me, Aggron. Why are you talking to Kira like you aren't a Guardian? Why aren't you surrounded by Fear?"

"Because he's no longer under Kyofu's influence," Kira said, quickly standing and setting her cup down. "You see, I didn't tell you, but he talked to me on my way to Gengar's. He said he would free them, tell them to give up their Promises when I got their. But Gengar didn't listen, and I had to fight back. But Kiso just wants an item. I don't think we'll have much of a problem defeating Groudon, right? It shouldn't be much harder than Kyogre or Kyurem, right?"

"I... You're right when you say that he's not much stronger, but there's also a certain item that we found in the cave," Kiso said, then raising his hands as Sage growled. "Listen: I'm on your side here. I don't want trouble. I just want an item, and I just want to share my tea. You take him out, I get my item, Kira gets her Promise, everyone goes home happy. You know that, Sage. You know what was written on those walls was a lie. You wrote them, after all. You took an old prophecy, and rewrote it. You fooled many Pokémon, Sage, but you can't fool me. The world will live, even when Kira goes home. And if she doesn't, then that's her choice. In the end, it'll all be fine, so long as you do what I want. Please, Sage, I just want my Terra Crystal. After this, you can continue on your quest to destroy Arceus, and Kira can go after Kyofu. I don't care, so long as I get my item."

Sage was silent for a moment before lowering his claws. "You saw through my façade that easily?" he growled. "I can't believe you knew what I wrote was a lie. How do I know you aren't still Infected with that pathetic Fear? How do I know you aren't lying, and that you won't just abandon us to this beast? How can I trust a being like you?"

"Would you like some tea?" Kiso asked, lowering his hands. "I understand that you're upset, and my tea has some properties that help with stress and can heal the soul and mind. Would you like a cup? I'm sure Kira can agree with me that it isn't poisoned. Please, friends? Just one cup and I promise you'll feel better. And then I'm sure I can answer your questions properly without much risk of... blood on the floor. It's hard to clean here."

Sage was silent before he growled and turned away, stepping away from Kiso before crossing his arms. "You better hurry and get tea if you want it. In three minutes we'll go wherever the fuck Groudon is and take it out. I don't want to spill unneeded blood when the anniversary is as close as it is; that would just be annoying."

Kiso smiled faintly and handed them each a cup of tea. Once he had, he set everything down and looked over at Sage. "You mean the anniversary for when Darkrai was defeated, right? Or is there something special that I don't know about going on? I thought I was quite knowledgeable about the mainland, but you've gotten my interest."

"It's nothing special when you consider that me and Harold have been together for fifteen years and it has almost been a full year since Kira came to the Pokémon world," Sage mumbled under his breath. "Just a bit of a friendship festival and whatnot. It's nothing important to you."

"You're right when you say it's nothing important to me, but you say it like you really care about it," Kiso responded as he walked over, placing a hand upon Sage's shoulder. "I have an idea to make that anniversary sound fun. Maybe... Maybe I can help you make it like a party or something. Or maybe some sort of tournament for you, Sage. I've heard you really like to battle, especially from my niece. She's had her eyes on you for... a couple of years now."

Sage fell silent before he suddenly disappeared, dust appearing where he had been only moments before. Kiso sighed lightly and walked over to the others, who were now finishing their tea; he sat nearby and poured himself a cup. At least no one was fighting... yet.

Kiso remained silent until he noticed Kira holding her head. He stood and walked over, handing her a leaf. "Keep this on you at all times, okay? It may not be as strong when you're holding it, but it'll keep the headaches down to a minimum so long as you hold it." He then noticed the band on her arm, sighing lightly. "Maybe you can hide it under that arm band of yours. Then maybe you can head after Groudon. I think Sage might already be on his way."

Kira nodded and took the leaf, hiding it under the band quickly. Upon contact with the band, a feeling of warmth washed over Kira, easing her troubled mind and allowing her full control over her own thoughts. Sure, she may have been able to think properly, but she was getting distracted by the screams of hundreds of people at once. It was something straight out of a horror film, but at least the leaf helped to shut them out. Actually, now that she was thinking about it, why was it something so similar to her that was helping to ease her troubled mind? Why not something like a flower or feather or something? Well, it was probably better not to question it; her head still hurt after all that screaming.

Slowly, Kira began to walk away from the Aggron, leaving Duke and Chatot to themselves as she followed after Sage. Upon hitting where he had disappeared from, the world around her suddenly changed. She found herself in a clearing, bright flowers surrounding her on all sides. They were golden, and yet the only ones she recognized were the black ones she had seen from when Necrozma was alive. He was dead now, right? Was that why this field was so bright?

She lowered her head and continued to walk. The flowers would brush against her, and yet she could tell that they weren't real. As much as she wanted them to be - to know that Necrozma was still there and waiting for her - she knew that neither would ever be again. Her mind grew fuzzy for a moment before she froze, raising her head to two familiar Pokémon: Kyofu and Arceus.

Kyofu's eyes were a golden tint, something she had seen in Gengar, as well as Kyogre for only a split second. Her eyes then landed on Arceus, knowing that this was all his doing. As Kyofu had told her before, it was all because Arceus was pulling the strings.

She pushed past them, ignoring their voices as they tried to shout after her. Her fist was clenched as she pushed on, her heart pounding in her chest as she then began to run. She ran and ran until nothing remained. The ground had once become rock, and nothing was the same. She knew where she was; she could hear Sage's mumbling after all, but this area was in no way familiar.

Kira shook her head and raised it, then noticing Sage as he grabbed some sort of green gear from a large rock. Upon pulling it out, everything grew dark and still, filling her with an odd chill. She quickly shook it off as he shattered it, a roar following behind as everything began to move and brighten once more.

"Arise, King of Land," Sage mumbled under his breath. "Arise in your full power and give us an actual fight, would you? Give me a reason to keep on trying to fight and live!"

As his cry reached the roof, the magma around them slowly began to rise, as did the earth. Within mere moments, the ground had become even, except for a large boulder across the arena from them. An odd symbol upon the rock slowly began to glow as the rock then began to shatter. Kira stepped closer just as it was flung at them. Her vines suddenly shot forward, slamming into the shards and turning them to dust only moments before they reached her or Sage.

"That was... an interesting attack," Kira whispered, her voice calm as steam came from her mouth. She slowly moved into a battle position as an enormous beast appeared from the dust. "That thing is Groudon, right? It better put up a fight. At least it looks like it can."

The Pokémon itself was nothing impressive, but it was nearly double the size of the rock that had been shattered. Its red and brown scales were lined by yellow markings, which reminded her of the symbol for Omega. Apart from that, it just reminded her of a giant dragon. The fact that she was even remaining calm was a shocker, but there was no point in thinking about it. This was a battle that would likely be... harsh.

The beast's eyes landed upon them within moments. Those black and brown orbs reminded Kira of something, but it was too foggy for her to recall at a time like this. Shaking her head, she dashed forward just as the ground beneath her rocketed up to the ceiling. Sage had done something similar, but he was running across the roof, his paws and claws glowing as he rushed at Groudon.

Within the moment, both of them were upon Groudon, but they were quickly knocked back as magma suddenly shot up and became rock instantly. Kira and Sage had both hit it hard enough to knock it back into Groudon, but it had done more damage as it smashed the rock and forced them away with the shards, much like it had the first attack, although this one actually worked.

"How sad, though," Sage mumbled as he shattered, reforming on top of Groudon's back. "You seem to know a lot about my strategies, Groudon. I'm surprised you missed me using Double Team, but I shouldn't be either. Oh well. Prepare for your defeat, fool." His claws suddenly grew before he jumped, turning and slashing them fast enough to cause and afterimage that seemed to hit at well. Sage eventually hit the roof, then kicking off as the roof caved in, slamming into Groudon. "Wow. I take back what I said," Sage mumbled as he landed beside Kira, who had finally stood. "You okay, kid?"

"I'm fine, but I can't say the same for my band," Kira mumbled, sliding it off and looking at the torn material. The leaf had also been shredded to bits, but she wasn't hearing anything any longer. Why was that? Emotions suddenly returned and she collapsed, clutching her head and groaning loudly. "Oww. Why do headaches have to hurt so bad?"

"Because what you had was called a Harmony Leaf," Sage told her, rocks suddenly rocketing up in front of them, likely blocking an attack. "They shove down any emotion that can get in the way of battle. While this is often a useful tactic, it also takes away reasoning and focus, lowering your maneuverability and all that junk. It basically just gets in the way of everything. You were fine from the beginning, Kira. He was manipulating you, and is likely manipulating Duke and Chatot now as well."

Kira nodded lightly before shaking her head clear and putting the band on once more. Without the leaf, she felt a lot better than she had originally thought she had been. As though she was back in full control, she quickly rushed to the side as the rock wall shattered. Groudon had finally come forward and crushed it himself, but at least Sage had also gotten out of the way.

Swiftly, she used the wall as a springboard and shot at Groudon. She turned and slammed her tail into, energy blazing through her as she was then slung back to the wall, once again using it as a spring board to throw herself to the sky. She continued to bounce around, using herself as a distraction as Sage did whatever he was doing.

Without hesitation, on the fifteenth or so jump, she flew at Groudon, slamming into him head on as Sage finally appeared, rocks around him and slamming into Groudon along with both of their attacks. Even then, the beast barely did so much as stumble back a couple of steps and roar loudly.

"This beast just won't go down!" Kira screeched, grunting as shards of rock cut at her body, some deep enough to somehow make her bleed. As she landed, she quickly dashed away, rocks slamming into the ground or rocketing up at every step. "What are we going to do about it? I can barely find enough room to get an attack in! It's impossible now!"

"Leave it to me, kid." Sage growled as he pulled two seeds from his fur. The first one he threw, which slammed into Groudon, exploding upon impact. Using the explosion as a distraction, Sage ate the second seed. His speed double instantly, making him a blur. "Blast and Quick Seed," he explained as he shot towards Groudon. "Hurry up, Kira. This seed won't last forever!"

As Sage lashed out and jumped away, Kira followed behind, her vines wrapping around Groudon's wrists and dragging her closer. When she was within a foot, energy tore through her body before she begun to spin. She felt herself hit something solid, which was followed by the loud roar of Groudon. White light filled her vision as she then slammed into the ground, almost knocking herself out upon impact.

Everything went silent before footsteps slowly sounded out around her. She had to force herself to her feet, black flowers forming within her vision and coating the floor around her. In fear, she lashed out, only to feel as something gripped her arm. She turned, the vision faltering as she realized it had been Sage who had stopped her mid-attack.

"There's nothing to worry about, Kira," Sage told her as he let her go, allowing her to once again land on the floor. "Anyways, I think I see some sort of crystal over when you knocked the beast back into the magma where it came from. That was... interesting... to say the least. I didn't like it whatsoever."

Kira nodded and followed over to where they crystal was lying. She grabbed it and picked it up, looking at the odd crystal with curious eyes. It looked something like a ruby, but it was so bright and shiny that she really couldn't think of it as such. As she was about to turn and ask Sage about it, it shattered and became a small ruby. A chain slowly formed, and, once it had fully finished, fell into Kira's hands.

"The Terra Crystal has found an owner," Sage mumbled under his breath when she looked at him. He turned away and crossed his arms. "Aggron wanted it to expand this island, but he knows it's impossible. It'll only answer to the Pokémon it chooses as its owner." He sighed and looked over at her. "Put it on and take off that band; we're going to see Aggron."

Kira nodded before sliding on the chain. It felt warm to the touch, and kind of reminded her of the black opal that Sage had crushed back when she had found Xatu and... defeated him. Shaking her head, she took off the band and chased after Sage. Without warning, they suddenly speared back in the den where Kiso had once been, but he was now gone, and in his place, a letter.

"Dear those who remain, Wow. I never thought I'd get to hear the raging cry of Groudon again, but you two fools really feel for it! With you gone, I have Duke and Chatot under my little claw. Both of their minds will be mine soon enough, but I'll give you the chance to get them back. I didn't go far, just South-east to Zero Isle North. If you can reach the bottom floor and beat me, I'll give them back. If you can't within two days, then they'll be my little puppets... forever. Now, let us see what you can do. Enjoy your time, freaks."

Sage was silent as he tore the sheet of paper apart, then letting it fall and become nothing but bits of ash. Once it had burned away, he clenched his fist and punched the wall. "God-fucking-damn it!" he screamed, blood seeping from his paw and dripping down the wall. "That bastard took our friend and the guildmaster's right-hand man! What the fuck?! Why didn't he just stay and fucking challenge us?!"

"Because he knew that we would all be able to kick his butt if we worked together," Kira responded, her head rushing with explanations for Kiso's betrayal. None of them seemed likely, apart from the fact that he had tricked them and was still a Guardian at the fullest. "We can't worry about why, though. All we need to worry about it chasing him down and taking our friends back. We can worry about the details later, and I can get my Promise then as well. As for this gem, why would he even ask for us to get it? Why not lie and send us on a fake mission?"

"He knew I was listening in on him when he was talking to you," Sage growled loudly, his voice echoing. "You didn't know, and I thought he didn't either. That beast is a lot smarter than I thought, but he's made a terrible mistake for heading to Zero Isle North." As though knowing Kira was about to question him, he brought out a large map. "We're here on this island," he told her, pointing to a volcanic island that was well away from Treasure Town. He then slid his claw to yet another island, but kept it a bit North. "This here is Zero Isle North. It won't be too much trouble to reach the bottom, especially with my skill. If he had gone to the southern isle, then I'm not exactly sure about our chances. But let's not worry, kay? We have an island to reach before time is up."

 _/I was not expecting to make that twist, nor was I planning on two legendary battles within the same chapter. Well, I write this on the fly with only one goal in mind: Make the Guardians different and get Kira somewhere in life. Anyways, twenty pages and it was intentional this time. If you enjoyed, remember to favorite or follow, or please leave a review. If you notice any mistakes, please inform me and I will try to fix them immediately. We're nearing the end of the Guardian Arc, people, so roll your sleeves up. Thank you, and goodbye._


	18. Chapter 16: The Final Hurdle

_/Let's try this again, shall we? This was a terrible first two tries to this chapter, so let's just pretend they never happened, although I literally just told all of you. Anyways, enjoy this chapter please. It was a fun annoyance to write._

Kira yawned lightly as she stepped onto the sand, sinking a bit before finally finding a proper foothold. It had been about a day and a half since Duke and Chatot had been kidnapped, which kind of ticked her off. The only thing worse was that they had been swarmed by Infected on the way, which had lengthened the trip and added another two hours to it overall. If it weren't for the fact it was just a direct swim, then she was sure that Chatot and Duke would have been gone forever.

Shaking her head, Kira watched as Sage soon followed after her, kicking sand into the water before he continued further onto the island. Kira soon followed after him, her head low as she thought. They only had twelve hours to get to the deepest layer of this entire island, and then they had to kick the butt of a Guardian who had outsmarted them. This was sure to be a rough battle, but even if they lost, saving Duke and Chatot were the priority over anything. Even if they failed, they were the two most important people of this entire battle.

"So what do you think we have to do to get to the bottom floor of whatever this place is?" Kira asked as they began inland. "I mean, I know it's a dungeon and all, but how do we go down in an island? I've only really over been through Mount Travail and that place where I was attacked by the Harmony Lilies. I never really understood how these places... worked."

"We basically just walk and walk, and we'll eventually come across a staircase," Sage began, crossing his arms. "However, there's been a major decrease in these kinds of dungeons recently, and they've only ever become a single-floored dungeon, which is just one big floor with Pokémon getting harder and harder every couple of "rooms" that we pass. That's basically all they are now, although some cases are exceptions, such as a few mountains and most of the older underground dungeons nowadays. Zero Isle and its islands are the few overland dungeons that haven't really been affected. but they do have some one floor areas, which take up around ten or so floors with one shot. If we're lucky, it'll only take us half an hour to get to the bottom."

"I hope that's all it'll take," Kira said, looking around the island for any signs of Pokémon life. "I get the feeling the battle with Kiso isn't going to be an easy one, but the quicker we get there, the more energy we might have and the longer we have to save them." She sighed lightly before raising a hand to the reds gem that now hung around her neck. "Why did you want me to wear this thing, Sage? You already got rid of the black opal before all this, and now I'm back to wearing some gemstone, which I don't even know what it is does."

"The Drought Stone, formerly known as the Terra Crystal, is a special item that can cause either the cloud nine ability, or the drought ability, on any floor in a dungeon. With it, and with how many of the Pokémon here are water types, we both have a higher advantage with them being a lot weaker and unable to use any of their weather-changing attacks. It'll also protect you from ground attacks, so that's useful as well."

"Sounds a bit... cheap," Kira mumbled under her breath, clenching the gem as though it actually had a purpose to her. "But I guess that's better than nothing in a place where you can come across anything, especially with a Guardian nearby." She laughed nervously before shaking her head and looking to the sky. "Today's the day we take down the last Guardian and find our way to Arceus and Kyofu. We will take them down and save the world!"

Kira smiled happily and started to run, hoping to reach Kiso faster this way. Before she had so much as taken five steps, the ground beneath her suddenly opened up, scaring her as she fell straight down and into a pitfall trap. Darkness swallowed her world for several moments before it was once again filled by light, but there was something odd. It was... It reminded her of those visions she had received ages ago.

She slowly looked around before realizing she was on the ground. She pushed herself into a sitting position, looking around once more before noticing two other people. She couldn't see their faces, but she instantly knew who they were: Leaf and Ragnarök in their human forms.

"So, you think all of this is going to pass?" Leaf mumbled, looking over at Ragnarök as though Kira wasn't there. "I know you think this is fine and dandy, and that Ari going missing was just some accident, but you and me both know history. We know what's going on, but you don't want to share. Please. Can we just tell her the truth?"

"Never." Ragnarök sat up and glared at Leaf. "You know we can't tell Kira about history. If she remembers, then the last of the Flame Guard will die... again, Leaf. Kyofu being possessed was hard enough for me to recall, but Kira being the first to die every single time hurt even more. I want someone to survive this invasion, Leaf. And by telling Kira about history - her death over and over and over again - will lead to it repeating. Kyofu... and Arceus… They're both the villains here. She has to fight them on her own, and you know that."

"Then what?" Leaf responded, her voice harsh yet dull. "How do we give her the strength to fight two gods at once? Sage and Duke won't be enough, and our Flames can't be used at the same time so long as we're alive." Leaf clenched her fist and grit her teeth. "How do you plan on giving her the strength to fight if she doesn't even know her true heritage? It's impossible!"

"We'll leave her our memories," Ragnarök suggested. "We're going to die anyways, so why not just let it happen at the next Guardian? It's a Gengar anyways, so it's not like much can happen. She dies, we die, she magically finds herself in the Hall of Judgement, and everything goes to normal once she finds our Flames once sent to the Distortion Realm!" Ragnarök noticed that she was glaring at him, and lowered his head. "I know you hate death, and I do too, but we have to die. We know, yet she doesn't."

Leaf was silent until she stood and nodded. "Fine, but I'm not going back to that place after this all again. I'm just gonna let my soul drift free and take over another body whenever I'm needed again." Her body then began to fade, leaving a simple Flame behind. "We'll have to suffer until death, you know. Abandoning Flame makes us really sick."

Ragnarök nodded in response as something similar began to happen to him. "It's better than just being there and not doing anything helpful during the final fight. We just... We can't tell her until the time is right. We can't let her know the truth behind her life and this mission's true purpose."

"There was no purpose to us coming into her life and dragging her into the mess that is the Flame Guard," Leaf told him with a sigh. "She was supposed to just come here, defeat the Guardians, take out Necrozma, and go home, but it looks like Arceus doesn't want anyone left alive. He's a monster, especially after what happened to his children."

"And he isn't after the fact that Darkrai almost killed Giritina?" Ragnarök chuckled lightly before shaking his head. "I feel sorry for them all, especially Dialga and Palkia. But, in the end, what's this going to mean for the Pokémon world? It'll all go back to normal once she leaves, just like everything else."

At that moment, Kira was dragged back to the real world. She coughed lightly and sat up, gasping for breath as she looked at her surroundings. She was in a cave, likely well below the surface of the island. Looking up, she couldn't really see the top. but there was a dot of light in the direction she assumed was directly up.

Slowly, her eyes began to adjust to the darkness. She could finally see her surroundings, which didn't really surprise her, as the entire location really was just a cave. Kira pushed herself to her feet, shivering as cold water ran down her body and back to the ground. For a place so deep underground, it sure didn't give her the vibe she would have expected of it.

"Hello?!" she called out, listening to her voice as it echoed against the walls and in every direction imaginable. With how long it went for, she could tell that this cave system was indeed very complex. "Well, this is just great," she snarled, groaning and shivering as she began to walk forward. "I'm in some cave I don't know, and I'm even on my own. How much worse can this day get?"

As it turns out, any day can get worse if you look at it that way. Kira figured this out as she was attacked by swarms of Pokémon upon entering the cave system. Not many of them were powerful, and those that were had a disadvantage against her typing and attacks, but the massive amount made it worse as she wasn't fast enough to fight them all at once.

What felt like hours passed before she felt that she had finally gotten somewhere. She had traveled quite the distance in that time frame, and found herself in a large room, which looked like something out of a secret villains bunker, just not as sciency or... villainy. Well, it would have looked that way, even without the massive statue of an Aggron surrounded by water in the center of the room.

Kira was sure that this was how she was going to find him, but she wasn't exactly sure yet. Without Sage by her side, it just felt so weird to find a lead and be able to do something. Sage was the one who led this entire thing, and so she counted on him to tell her what to do during these situations. But at times like these, she felt that she had to do this alone.

She was silent as she walked up to the statue, only then noticing an odd panel in the ground before the water. Curious, she bent down and looked at the odd symbols. They weren't Unknown, but of her own language - they were written in human English.

"Blue is the water that forever runs deep," she read aloud, already confused by it. "Red is the magma that has created our world. Green is the earth that all beings live on. But what is it that keeps it all together? What is the basis for life on this planet?"

Kira remained silent before chuckling and shaking her head. "When you think about it, everything here is what keeps us alive, but you forgot the air that allows us to breath and keeps us warm." She shook her head before looking at the statue, watching as it glared at her. "Nice try, Kiso, but I'm no idiot. You were rushed, and you messed up. Now, give yourself up."

The statue could be heard growling as it slowly began to lose the rocks upon it. Kira quickly jumped back, an explosion soon following and launching rocks in every direction. She raised her hands and blocked her face as the rocks slammed into her from where the statue had once been, but it didn't last long. After all, it hadn't all been made of rock.

"You sensed it, didn't you?" Kiso snarled, watching as she lowered her arms and glared at him with hate. "You sensed the rocks and knew they were fake instantly, didn't you? I knew I should have taken you out when I first saw you, but no! I just had to be a good guy and let you go alive! What the hell is wrong with me?"

"Your mental health and that attitude of yours," Kira responded, moving into a battle position she could all but just remember. "Just hand over that Promise, as well as Duke and Chatot, and I'll go peacefully. I don't want to have to kill you for them as well. I've already killed Xatu, as well as severely injured Gengar. You don't stand a chance this time, Kiso."

Kiso growled lightly before moving his hand behind his back. Kira didn't let her guard down, and knew it was the right move as he suddenly flung several rocks at her. She swiftly moved, dodging them right before they slammed into the ground. The momentum that had allowed her to dodge was the same momentum she used to attack, slamming into Kiso and knocking him back and away from the large circle of water.

"Now you just fucked up," Kiso growled, dust and rocks rocketing in every direction as a bright red flame of Fear took over his body. A loud roar erupted from him before his body became encased in what seemed to be gold, as well as light. The transformation only lasted a second, but that second made Kiso look just like Kiminari had oh so long ago. "I'm going to kill you, and then I'm going to tear you limb from limb, you pathetic Snivy."

"Go ahead and try," Kira mumbled, her own Flame erupting into power. She growled and rushed at him, but as she launched an attack, he moved to the side and slammed his tail into her. She coughed loudly, blood escaping her as she was sent flying into a wall. "Oww! That fucking hurt!"

"Yeah, and I can worse on your pathetic body," Kiso growled, his tail waving as he turned away from her, showing her just how sure of himself he was. "Now, as you said before, give up and go home. You know you can't beat me, and Kyofu is even stronger than I am. You'll never win a fight with emotions like those."

Kira growled and pushed herself from the wall, feeling as rocks fell after her and to the ground. He had hurt her pride with that statement, but what ticked her off even more was the taste of blood in her mouth. She could feel rage consuming her as she stood, losing control as her power began to grow to a wild level.

"I'm going to hurt you so bad," she snarled, her voice deep as her Flame erupted, almost consuming the entire cavern they were in. "I am going to make you suffer for everything you've done to us. For lying, I'm going to tear your arms off. For hurting my friends, I'll tear away every bit of flesh from your body. For just being an ass, I'll kill you very, very slowly."

She slowly looked up to him, her eyes a deep red as she felt her power continue to grow. Kiso finally seemed to acknowledge her before finally sending rocks her way. Kira barely moved and they were suddenly shattered, soon turning to nothing but dust as her vines fell to her sides. Kiso growled before stomping, rocks once again flying at her from every direction. Just like last time, they were easily shattered, barely making it a within a foot of Kira.

"Your power is still a bit too low to face my final attack," Kiso mumbled, launching rocks at her. No matter how many he launched, they would be destroyed within an instant, but she couldn't hold out forever against them. "You're staying on the defensive, so I have nothing to worry about in terms of you doing any damage. My energy should be able to keep you at bay, until you lose your energy that is."

He spoke so calmly, talking to her as if she was a little child. That little moment of rage allowed a rock through her defenses, but Kira didn't flinch as it slammed into her, instead using it to escape where she was being targeted. As soon as she was free from the circle where his attack was aiming for, she launched herself at him, slamming her tail into his chest as a massive energy spike tore through her body. They were both sent flying backwards, each slamming into an opposite wall with immense force.

Kira landed on the floor with a soft thud, her Flame receding as her eyes also returned to normal. "Ragnarök," she whispered as she forced herself to her feet, smiling faintly as the faint echo of his Flame rung within her heart. "Thank you for this gift, you two. I promise I'll take both of them down." Once on her feet, she felt energy once again course through her, but it was much softer. "Come on, Kiso. I'm sick of playing games here."

Kiso smirked lightly as he too stood, his Fear spreading before receding once more. His golden armor, which had been cracked at one point during the attack, was now back to full strength. "As if I would stop messing with you," he said, raising an arm and raising the ground around her. "But I guess I'll humor you a little more. Stone Cage."

Kira watched as the rocks then began to fall, but as they slammed into her, her counter struck and destroyed all of the rocks surrounding her. "Nice try, but rocks are weak against the bladed leaf that is me," she mumbled, her eyes a bright green as she faced Kiso. "Please stop playing around, Kiso. I'm getting bored."

"You-" Kiso growled lightly before roaring loudly. The echo against the walls tore through the entire cave, and an earthquake followed soon after. "I'll kill you, you pathetic creature! I'll finish our mission and kill you all!" His cry echoed loudly against the cave walls.

Kira was silent as she heard the distinct cracking of rocks above her head. She looked up just in time to watch as the ceiling began to cave in from above them. Swiftly, she launched her vines, shattering, or at least breaking apart, the rocks that were aimed at her.

"Please just give up," she mumbled, lowering her head and looking at Kiso with determined eyes. "You know you can't beat me in the state you're in, Kiso. You're just going to lose in the end, and we all know it." She sighed lightly and raised a hand, her Flame dying out and her eyes returning to normal. "I'm showing you mercy here, Kiso. Please?"

Kiso lowered his head, hiding his eyes in darkness, only to reveal as they became blood red. "I don't show mercy to fools who think they're stronger than me."

Rocks shot up from all directions, but Kira was more than ready for them. Two images separated from body, one moving through the rocks as the other dodged above them, almost hitting the roof. Kiso's eyes widened as they shot at him.

"You should have given up when I asked," they both whispered, turning and slamming their tails into him with incredible force. "I'm sorry, Kiso, but you're in my way. This is… goodbye."

Kiso's eyes widened as his armor caved in, tearing through the opposite side of him without any problem. He glared at the two forms as they once again became one. "Your powers are no match... for Kyofu," he growled, white light forcing itself from him and to the ground. "He _will_ kill you and your foolish allies. It's only a matter of time." Kiso then collapsed, his eyes becoming dull like everything else about him.

"It doesn't matter whether I'm able to take him out or not," Kira mumbled lightly, picking up the white orb before feeling as its energy was pulled into her, much like the other two she had taken. "That was it. I have all the Promises I need. Now to find Arceus and Kyofu and take them both out."

"That would be easy - if you had kept that guy alive," Sage mumbled as he exited a nearby tunnel, his fur covered in dusk and mud. "And next time you battle in a cave, please be aware that you aren't the only one in the entirety of the system. There are a lot of Pokémon in these areas, especially bats."

"Sorry," Kira responded, rubbing the back of her neck. She wasn't sure if she was more sorry about Kiso or him, but it didn't matter. "What about Duke and Chatot? Have you seen any sign of them on your way through the cave? They didn't appear with the Promise, so I can only assume they were somewhere else."

"Actually, that's kind of why I came to find you," Sage mumbled, wiping dust from his arms. "I mean, we were coming here to fight Kiso anyways, but it was kind of funny since I found them right as a loud roar tore through the cavern. Anyway, they're on the surface with each other, likely headed back for Harold and Jamie. By now they should be waiting on us, so I say we hurry. I could go for something to eat right about now."

Kira nodded lightly before watching as Sage began to head back through the caves. Before she followed, she walked over to Kiso and kicked his armored body. It wasn't like he deserved it, but it made her feel good inside that she had managed to control her power and take him down. With that out of the way, she quickly chased after Sage.

Once on the surface, she was quickly embraced by Duke, who seemed to be shivering and shaking. Kira chuckled lightly as she hugged back, raising her head and looking at Sage confused. She had no idea why he was acting this way.

"I... I know what happened to Leaf and Ragnarök," he whispered to her, his shaking slowly going away. "I... I don't know why, and I don't care how, but I saw as they died in that fight against Gengar, as well as you. Why didn't you tell me? Is that why you've been acting so weird recently? Please, Kira. Tell me everything!"

Kira was silent for a moment before she shook her head. "I would, but I can't tell you about them just yet," Kira told him, sighing as she pushed him away from her, turning and rubbing her head. "I'll tell you once we can find Kyofu and a way into the Hall of Judgement, or at least a similar location. That's our next destination after all this. That is where Arceus is waiting for us."

"So you still believe that Arceus is truly a bad Pokémon, huh?" Chatot called over. "Well, I believe the location you're looking for is Destiny Tower, which is located well East of us, although it would take several days to reach it. Even then, you'd never get through it without being knocked out as many times as possible. It's one of the two hardest dungeons we know of in the area - the other would Zero Isle South."

"I can deal with the problem of getting in," Sage mumbled under his breath. "Arceus owes me something anyways, so he'll try to put up a fight against us. I can take down the barrier that prevents us from entering as a team with enough time, but I'll need you to watch my backs during it. Last time I did it, my friends almost ended up either dead or lost in that dungeon." He then looked to Chatot. "You'll be providing aerial support for us. However, we should head to Luminous Springs before anything else. It should be functional, even in these terrible times."

Chatot watched him for several moments before shrugging. "I only understood about half of what you said, but I guess it doesn't matter since, well, we're coming to the end of what we've been doing for so long now. Well, we better get back to the mainland, you three. I think the guild might be worried about us now."

Sage nodded and looked to Kira and Duke before turning away and heading towards Harold. Kira and Duke went to follow, but a sudden wave of nausea made Kira stop in her tracks. Her vision pulsed as what sounded like knock echoed within her head. It repeated several more times, eventually forcing her to the ground. She could hear cries coming from Duke, but everything went dark before she could even try to respond.

* * *

Kira groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. The roof that had once been the sky was now dirt and rock, somehow supported by the walls that bent inwards and towards it. She continued to stare to the roof before she forced herself into a sitting position, rubbing her head as it felt like it had been slammed into a wall several times. It took her some time to regain full awareness, but upon doing so, she felt that she was lying in something similar to hay, but that she was also somewhere she had never been before. The panic would have kicked in if she hadn't heard a familiar sigh from behind her.

"You're actually alive, huh, Kira?" Kyofu mumbled from behind her, making her turn and glared. His eyes, for once, looked normal, caring even. "I've been looking for you for days now, little one. You just... Upon losing the signal to Kiso, I lost yours as well. I was worried Arceus got to you, but to find out it was only the Promise activating its full power is promising. Soon you will face Arceus in a battle that will end this war. I'll be rooting for you, Kira." Kyofu then turned to leave, but was stopped as he felt a hand on his tail. "Yes, Kira? Is there something you want to know?"

Kira wasn't exactly sure why, but she knew that he was right when he said she wanted to know something. "Why did you kill them?" she asked, her heart thumping as she felt him tense up. "I... I heard it right before I found Kiso and took him down. "You killed the Flame Guard, Kyofu. But why did you do it? Did they do something to you?"

Kyofu was silent before he pulled away from her, shaking his head. "You should not care to learn about our history, young human," he told her, looking at her with blood red eyes. "History will forever repeat itself so long as we believe it can happen again and again. It would just be better if you quit asking questions about that. Now, let me leave. I have somewhere to go before you reach Destiny Tower... and the Hall of Judgement."

Kira wasn't exactly sure how to respond to his statement. She slowly brought her hand back, gripping her wrist as he slowly began to walk away. Much like last time, he phased through the wall as though he didn't exist. Only moments late, Duke hopped into sight and around a corner.

"You're finally awake!" he chirped loudly, hopping over, only to stop before he crashed into her. "S-sorry. You're probably sore after what happened back on Zero North. You just blacked out and landed face-first in the sand. If it weren't for Chatot and Jamie, you probably wouldn't have even made it back to mainland."

"I-I'm sorry, but you'll need to start your story from the very beginning," Kira told him, waving her hands to get him to slow down. "I don't even know what happened before I passed out. Let's start with that, and then we can stop right where we are. Just nothing extra, please."

"Right. Well, you just... passed out," Duke began. "We had no idea why, but then these orbs suddenly came from your body and made some sort of map, which fell to your side moments after. Chatot panicked and quickly dragged you over to Jamie, where she had to swim all the way back to mainland while the rest of us followed on Harold. When we arrived back here in the mainland, we were told to bring you here to the guild, which we did. And now, six days later, you finally wake up! I mean, it was a miracle you lasted across the sea, but you were out for _six_ days! Six of them. And not only that, but the war has finally stopped. It's just a clear path to the Hall of Judgement now, and all because you, and apparently you passing out."

"If only a little thing like killing a Pokémon that we needed alive was actually what caused that." Sage growled as he stepped around the corner and to the group. "I got something from the map, Duke, so go get your books and check it out, now." Duke nodded, hurriedly leaving as Sage actually scared him. With Duke gone, Sage sat down and glared at Kira. "You're little stunt back with Gengar just messed with my plans," he told her. "He's back, and the Infected army is planning an invasion on this town tonight. This time, we will not be able to take him on. We have to find Kyouf by nightfall, or we are doomed. It's either that or run, and I prefer one that doesn't make me like I actually concede defeat."

Kira nodded lightly before she stood, only to collapse, being caught only by Sage before she hit the ground. "I guess running away won't be an answer," she told him, pushing away and trying to balance on her own feet once again. "Six days of being unable to walk sure takes a lot out of you, doesn't it?" she asked jokingly, only to shake her head. "By the way, what did you find about the map? Was it anything important?"

"Directions directly to the top of Destiny Tower," Sage chuckled, standing and scratching the back of his head. "Of course, I'll still need to break the magical barrier around so we can enter at the same time, so we'll begin this as the moon is rising. We'll evacuate everyone in case something happens before we leave, but I don't know if it'll be necessary once we're inside." He chuckled lightly before turning and leaving. "Come on, Kira. There are some Pokémon you need to meet before we leave."

Kira nodded lightly and followed after, looking at the hallway as she was led out. They passed two more rooms before Sage brought her into a much larger room than the others. There, she instantly noticed about ten or so Pokémon, each of which she had seen before then. Of course, they had never been introduced, but she remembered them from before the fight against Zorua.

"Meet Sunflora, Bidoof, Corphish, Diglett, Dugtrio, Loudred, Chimeco, and Croagunk" Sage told her. "They'll be helping to evacuate everyone while we leave, once again. They've agreed to gift you something to help you on your journey, so do say that you are grateful from each of them. They're really... They aren't fuck-ups like Duke... and Chatot."

"I heard that!" Duke cried out from a table, where the others then looked to him. "Listen, Sage. This map may lead to the final chamber, but we don't have time to open the full shield around the dungeon before Infected forces realize the town is empty and that we're at the center of their operations. They'll come for us immediately, so we'll need to split into teams of at most three. I'll go with Kira, and you with Chatot and Wigglytuff, okay? The rest of you know what you're doing. Get the citizens out, and that is all. After that, run and hide."

"We know this, and our plan is set up, but what about Kira as well?" Chatot asked, looking at her. "She may be going with you, Duke, but can she manage to fight off any Infected in the state she's in? Her body is being pushed beyond normal, and even with a Sitrus Berry, she's still unstable."

"She'll be fine," Sunflora assured, taking a scarf from her bag and moving to Kira. "This is known as the Whistle Scarf. Made specifically for grass-type Pokémon, it'll speed the healing process when you're in trouble, and it'll increase your stats in sunlight."

"And I have for you this Blade Stone," Croagunk mumbled, throwing her an odd rock covered in moss. "It should power up your physical attacks by a little bit. While not much, it's the least I can give if you save our world. I mean, we've never met before, but who cares? You're a Pokémon like the rest up, and you're trying to save our world."

Kira smiled lightly, nodding to them before turning and looking at Sage. She held a determined look in her eyes as she said, "Then let us come together and finish the fight that has dragged on for way too long." She grinned to herself before looking at the rest of the guild. "It never was easy, but it was always an honor to be able to fight alongside the Pokémon of this world for a cause that could save it. I am in debt to you all, even when I... No. When _we_ save the world, I will forever remember that it was all because of Pokémon like you. Because of Pokémon who we could trust."

"You shouldn't say such things that'll make them feel like they're special," Sage mumbled to her, crossing his arms before sighing. "Anyways, we better go and get ready to storm that tower. We don't have much linger, especially after you having been out for so long."

Kira nodded, determination flashing within her heart for a moment before she turned and looked to the Pokémon of the guild. They all looked so determined to protect their town and fight back. She whished she could help them protect the town, but taking down Arceus and Kyofu was something so much more important than the town.

Without so much as a second glance at the Pokémon, Sage quickly rushed off, followed by Kira, Duke, Chatot, and Wigglytuff. The time for action was now, and it was the only chance they were ever going to get.

 _Ahh! So close to the finale and yet we aren't truly there yet! Just look at these sixteen (technically eighteen) chapters we have done so far. It feels like it's been years since I've begun this, although it's probably only been a couple of months. Well, still, I hope you enjoyed the story thus far. If you have, consider favoriting or following. Thank you for your time, and see you all later._


	19. Chapter 17: Climbing the Tower

_Alright everyone. Take a deep breath, and let's all recall the memories this story once had. From a memoryless weakling to a Pokémon fighting for her home, Kira has grown well beyond even what I wanted. Sage has stayed the same, mainly since it's his owner's canon personality, although he isn't 100% that way anyways. And Duke... Well, Duke is Duke to say the least. This sequel, which has come as far as possible from a true sequel, has been one of my proudest works. Thank you, everyone. This has been a fun ride. 'Knowing the End is near fills you with Determination. Keep pushing on.'_

Kira found her breathing heavy as sweat dripped from her head to the ground beneath her. In front of her, Sage had his paws raised to some sort of barrier, twisting and watching it crack before moving and repeating it over and over. The spell radiated an immense amount of heat, which was likely why she felt like she would be burned to a crisp. Of course, it wasn't like she could move; her gaze went down to the pentagram beneath her feet, which was also sparking with similar energy. It wasn't as hot as Sage's, but it still felt like a small fire beneath her.

After what felt like hours of work, which it likely had been, the heat began to die down to nothing, until the sound of shattering glass reached their ears. Wigglytuff seemed to be the only excited one of the group, but they wouldn't have to deal with each other for very long. After all, this mission was meant for them to split up, and they were already short on leftover time.

"We all know the mission, and we all know what we're to do," Sage told them, stepping to the tower and wiping his claws on its walls. "Kira and Duke, you will enter first, and make sure you head straight for the top. I will follow with Wigglytuff and Chatot, and we will clear out all the Infected from the building, killing any who try to get in our way. If that is understood, then let's get moving."

Kira looked over at Duke before nodding lightly. She quickly bolted into the tower, an odd feeling washing over her as Duke followed in behind her. Instantly, everything around them changed from a simple chamber, to a maze of rooms and Pokémon. As Sage had told them on the way, this place would be a normal Mystery Dungeon. That meant that they have to find stairs to progress through the dungeon. Not only that, but they only had limited time on a floor like this. They would get "kicked out" if they weren't fast enough.

With that in mind, Kira took off through the dungeon, knowing that speed was the only way to get to the exit in time for escape. As she ran through the maze-like corridors of the Dungeon, Duke flew above her, likely keeping an eye out for any opposing Pokémon. He had to fly through the corridors, though, as the walls stretched all the way to the roof, making it even more like as maze. As much as either of them hated dungeons, a maze was a fun twist.

The first twenty floors went by to the duo like time to a sleeping... anything, really. They managed to scale the floors with next to no resistance, but it wasn't long until the Pokémon began to grow not only stronger, but smarter as well. Compared to the likes of Kira and Sage, they weren't very powerful, but they weren't idiots in battle, and knew how to dodge and counter and all that stuff. It was fun for, like, eight or so floors, but then it began to become even more annoying as the floors passed.

It was around the fiftieth floor that Kira actually felt exhaustion beginning to get to her. The amount of Infected Pokémon had risen, and so had their strength and intelligence in battle. Duke seemed to be suffering the same thing, but his own skills in battle had kept him from draining as much power as she did normally. Well, that and he was avoiding most of the battles thanks to being airborne. At least he helped to take care of those in the sky and keep them away - it was even more helpful than the items Sage had given them.

For a small break, Kira sat against one of the stone walls of the tower, panting heavily as she tried to catch her breath. As much as this was technically wasting time for them both, they knew that being exhausted would just lead to them being defeated even quicker on future floors. With how tough even the weakest Pokémon were now, they knew it would only get harder and harder, until they stood no chance against the Pokémon before them.

"You're really that tired, huh?" Duke chuckled lightly, opening Sage's bag before pulling out some sort of arm band. "He told me this was called a Stamina Band. It should allow you to go for longer without feeling exhaustion." He sighed lightly as he glanced at the next staircase, only to shake his head. "I saw we move on, but we should probably eat first. I'm absolutely famished."

"I feel like another step would tear my feet off," Kira responded jokingly, taking the band from him and pulling it over her arm. At the mention of food, her stomach growled loudly, making her nod in embarrassment. "I agree, Duke. We really can't risk going any further on empty stomachs. Every bad decision we make could lead to failure."

Duke nodded, digging through the bag a bit more before he pulled out several apples. He handed Kira two, taking one for himself and setting the rest back in the bag. If it hadn't been for Sage, they likely would have passed out from hunger. Actually, they all were doing their own part. Sage provided them with what they needed, Duke had books on practically everyone and everything needed, and Kira just had the determination to push forward. They worked together, and that was why they kept living. If it weren't for each other, who knows where they'd be by now.

Kira chuckled to herself and shook her head, quickly dispersing the memories as she downed both of the apples quickly, her hunger quickly fading as she regained the energy needed to battle. As she stood, something slammed into her headfirst, knocking her into a nearby wall. She quickly fell, coughing as dust quickly filled the room, obscuring her vision, as well as preventing her from breathing properly.

"How foolish," a familiar voice mumbled in the dust, red eyes with a golden tint glinting amongst the blinding and harsh storm. "You truly did not stand a chance against us at the top, but I guess you truly are fools of your own nature." A glint of red flashed through the dust before the figure smirked. "Let the battle for the Tower begin. Come at me, Kira, and take us down."

At his words, Kira's body surged with energy. She stood, raising a hand and slamming the floor to the ceiling, her left eye red while the right was green. Silence followed as the floor fell back to its normal place, but Kira knew the battle was far from over. She swiftly turned, the ground moving with her and blocking a sucker punch from the Pokémon cloaked in shadows.

"I don't think you understand who I am," she said, throwing her hand down and slamming him into the floor with the roof. "I don't know who you are, nor do I care, but I'm more than sure I can take you out." As the beast was getting up, she turned and looked at Duke. "Fly ahead and find Sage and the others. I'll catch up once I've finished with this thing."

Duke nodded lightly taking something from the bag and chucking it at her. She caught the bottle, popping it open and quickly drinking it as she had learned to do throughout the dungeon - it was a Max Elixir, which would raise the power points of all her attacks to max. It wasn't like a berry that could restore energy, but it was useful if you found yourself unable to use certain attacks, all of which she had run out of by that point.

Kira licked her lips as the beast glared at her, moving into a battle-ready position to fight against it. As much as she wanted to know who was behind the shadow, the golden glint within its eyes told her that this Pokémon was someone that she would find incredibly difficult to defeat.

As expected from it, the beast rushed at her, throwing its fist forward. Kira quickly ducked under the attack, dashing forward and through the beast like it was a ghost. The chill that was sent through her body told her it was, but why was that feeling so familiar? Why did this ghost feel like she had faced it before? It felt... It couldn't have been Gengar. It was just a shadow.

Familiarity ran through the creature's eyes before it turned and lashed at her. Like last time, Kira dodged the attack, but she countered this time as well. She quickly grabbed its arm and used it to drag the Pokémon closer. She spun swiftly, her tail slamming into its face and throwing it back towards the wall behind it. As it seemed the beast would escape because of her, she appeared behind it slamming her tail into it from above and slamming it through the ground and likely to a lower floor.

"Two Leaf Blades," she panted, collapsing to her knees as her eyes returned to normal. "That and your special position swap are going to drain you if you can't master them by the top of the dungeon." She quickly shook her head and bolted for the staircase. Now was not the time to worry about what she was going to have to use during their fight against a Pokémon as powerful as Arceus.

Just as she was about to take the first step, Kira felt something wrap around her ankle. She yipped loudly as she slammed into the stairs, her vision blurring and body becoming numb as she was dragged back and into the room. It took a while for her to recuperate her vision, but she eventually managed to regain enough control to pull away from whatever had grabbed her.

"So you thought you could get away from me?" a deep voice growled, shadow-like hands appearing from beneath the ground and dragging some sort of being from the ground. "I won't allow such a thing, Snivy. I'll eat you like all the rest!"

The beast itself was horrifying, if not just gruesome, to even look at. Its melting flesh mixed with the ghostly hands that had formed above it, giving it the appearance of some sort of melting human cut in half. Sure, it could have been creepier, but this was the creepiest thing she had ever seen, let alone battled against.

Its voice became distorted and seemed like nonsense as its hands began to move close to the terrified Snivy. It took her a moment to realize this, but as she did, she lashed out against the hands. They were quickly cut in half, but they were quickly replaced as yet another pair rose from the ground surrounding this creature. Whatever it was, she was sure it was more than just a Pokémon at this point in time.

As she managed to collect her thoughts from the initial attack, it struck again, raising a wave of what appeared to be writhing flesh from out of nowhere. Kira's initial reaction would to have been to gag and run, but she knew where that would lead her. She raised her arms, her Terra Crystal shining brightly as the floor raised once more and prevented the attack from hitting her. Whatever this thing was, it sure could attack with only half a body and a few hands.

As she let the wall crash down, she quickly shot forward, slamming her tail into a falling piece and throwing it into the beast. A loud thud echoed from contact with something, but there was no other sound until the rock fell to the ground - the beast had stopped the attack with one of the hands, which then shattered like glass.

"You are... interesting," it whispered, its voice harsh like venom against the blood. "But in the end, I will still have my meal on your flesh. I will have what I want, as I was promised when brought here." It smirked darkly as the hands launched several orb-like attack. "Now die, pretty, and be my meal."

Kira growled and raised her arms, rocks slamming into the attacks and knocking them to the roof. She knew she couldn't beat it at this rate, but what else could she do against it? She couldn't run - it'd just chase her down or drag her back down the stairs. Duke wasn't there to help either, which she kind of regretted. The only choice she had was to either outlast it or take it down. One way or another, she was not getting out of this unscathed.

"Hmph. I don't plan on becoming anyone's supper when I'm so close to my home," Kira told the creature, forcing her hands together before a ball of green energy began to form. "But, thank you for the technique in how to create an Energy Ball. This'll really help in the upcoming battle."

The beast once again reached for her, but she was even quicker, slamming the ball into its face and using the explosion to rocket back and towards the stairs. Instinct and an odd feeling within her gut forced her to turn and retreat up the stairs, and she knew why almost immediately. A loud scream could be heard as she bolted up the stairs and to the next floor, hopefully to Duke or a sense of safety.

Upon reaching the next floor, though, she was met with neither of them. That beast from the last floor, with its head down and hands on the ground, seemed to have appeared before her. She could hear it sobbing, but the sob was also a chuckle to her ears. So many emotions rushed through her at once that they began to hurt, forcing her to the ground and keeping her there as its call echoed around the walls.

"You really thought you could run away from me?" it whispered once more. "I know you don't think you can win, and you're right to think that. You can't kill me. You can't run away from me. But one thing will happen, and nothing can change that: I will kill you, and I will feed upon your flesh."

"Would you shut up with the whole wanting to eat people's flesh thing?" a familiar voice mumbled. "I get you were summoned here for just that reason, but seriously? You really need to get some lessons on how to properly treat others."

The beast turned, only to suddenly be thrown forward, its body ripping from the floor and slamming into the wall behind Kira. Her eyes widened as they landed on Sage, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Of course, this was a dungeon, so questioning it wasn't exactly in her best interest.

With a shake of his head, Sage pulled a cube from his bag and walked over to the beast. "Thankfully, I got enough information from that Diglett to make one of these things," he mumbled, tapping it upon the beasts head and absorbing it into the cube. "Buried Alive. What an odd creature, but expected from Kyofu. He's always been a creepy bastard, and using these fuckers was just too damn predictable."

"What do you mean?" Kira asked, walking over and analyzing the cube curiously. "I've never seen one of those things before, but he's used them before? I question that as the book I read said nothing about whatever that thing was."

"That's because back when he was barely known, he used only two of them. One of them disappeared, and the other is just wandering around doing whatever a Diglett does in this world." Sage shook the cube once before forcing it down into his bag. "Anyways, you're lucky I managed to outpace you and reach a higher floor before setting up a base. When Duke arrived and explained what was going on, I knew immediately that something was wrong. After all, Gengar's leading the charge against Treasure Town. He wouldn't be here during the fight there."

"Wait! So you're saying the Gengar I fought wasn't really the Guardian that I had faced back in that abandoned house?!" Sage nodded at her question, filling her with dear. "We have to hurry, then! That fight won't last much longer, even if anyone remained behind! If we don't take out Kyofu, we'll get swarmed here, and their numbers are massively overwhelming, even against our skills and powers."

"I know that," Sage responded, starting towards what appeared to be the way out of the floors and to his safehouse. "Unfortunately, continuing on would not be in our greatest interests right now. Duke is exhausted, Wigglytuff wants his Perfect Apple, and Chatot is just about to collapse. Even if me and you went together, the later floors are a lot harder than you would think they are. Now let us find them and rest. They should be around the sixtieth floor."

Kira nodded and lowered her head as she followed Sage to the floor he had told her about. Once there, she collapsed to her hands and knees, gasping as she tried to regain her strength. Sage hadn't been joking when he had said their opponents would only get stronger, but this was just becoming ridiculous now. They were almost like that Buried Alive thing, but at least they could be knocked out without too much trouble.

As she was catching her breath, the flicker of fire quickly caught her attention. She looked over and noticed Chatot and Wigglytuff around the blaze, which seemed to have just started. Duke was also nearby, but he was already passed out and deep in a dream, probably. The only ones really not resting were her and Sage, but that was probably because they had just gotten here. With a shake of her head, she quickly dismissed that and tried to think about everything that had been happening in the past couple of months.

First up was the Guardians, each of which had filled her with worry. Sure, they were gone now, excluding Gengar, but a feeling of worry still echoed through her as though they still existed in the physical world. Second was how far they had all come. While they weren't exactly at the top just yet, they were still trying their hardest to do their best, which she had never truly felt before. Third, they were really nearing the end of their mission. She wouldn't have expected it a couple of weeks ago, but this climb was telling that the end was almost there, and so was the growth that they would have together. Finally, she thought about everyone. As much as she would miss them, she knew that this was what she needed to do. Going back to the human world was what she wanted, and at least these Pokémon would keep living on, hopefully. If Kiso hadn't been lying about Sage's false prophecy, then she felt that this world would continue to live on as it had for hundreds of years. And hopefully... Hopefully, one day, they could meet again, but not in this world, nor her own.

Kira felt tears against her cheeks as she closed her eyes, remembering the smiles of every Pokémon she had ever met in this world. Even those creepy smirks from the Infected and Guardians filled her with a bit of joy. It wasn't because she had enjoyed them, but because they had really been smiles in this world. No matter how evil you were, no matter how psychopathic, a smile was a smile. It didn't matter who you were; if you smiled, you smiled.

"I'm going to miss all of you," she whispered, her voice echoing against the walls of the room they were in. "Every step brings us to the end just a bit faster. Every second together is another reason to smile even as we leave each others' grip. I want you all to know... that I am sincerely grateful for everything you have done. Even if it was wrong to you, every single one of you are important to me. Thank you, everyone."

* * *

The sun's gentle rays washed over the top of the tower, filling the Pokémon on top of it with a sense of dread. The first, Kyofu, was smirking lightly, although fear shined within his eyes along with a golden tint. The second, Arceus, was simply grinning at the sun's rising. Both of them knew that the end was coming soon enough, and yet neither of them worried for it. Arceus because he felt he knew the end result, and Kyofu because he couldn't feel such a thing because of the freak controlling him.

"Soon, the time will come to break the world and the last thing holding it together," Arceus whispered, his voice nothing but a whisper as a black glow took them over. "With Kira dead and the rest of the world unable to protect themselves, we will be able to destroy it once and for all. Every single plan has been leading to this, and it has been executed perfectly. Soon, the world will know fear as it finally dies under us."

Kyofu struggled against Arceus' control, shaking his head and forcing himself to take a step forward. "This... is wrong," Kyofu growled, blood licking his lips as he struggled. "We don't need to kill so many to kill a world, Arceus. You're a god, you know. You could have done it from the beginning, and yet you chose to tear my family away, and kill me so many times just to find and kill them. You know... this isn't what they would have wanted. They cared about you, Arceus. Why can't you see that?"

"They followed that bastard that raised us all," Arceus responded, his eyes glowing and forcing Kyofu deeper under his grasp. "You should know that, Kyofu. They killed your family as well. The old king ordered it, and they followed it. When you took the throne, you never once thought of revenge. Not once did you think to kill them, until I helped you raise your pathetic hand. And after that, you've enjoyed the bloodshed, haven't you? The feel of that thick fluid that keeps all living beings alive running down your hands and paws made you feel proper, Kyofu. You can't deny it."

"Shut up," Kyofu growled, stopping in his tracks as something grabbed at his heart. "You killed my sister, you bastard. You killed her, and then turned me into this freak. I never wanted to harm anyone, but you made me like it. You manipulated my mind and made me enjoy the blood as it dripped down my hands. Because of you and your want for revenge, you killed hundreds of thousands of innocent humans and Pokémon."

Kyofu's head suddenly turned as claw marks ran from the top of his head and down to his chin on the left. Blood seeped from the shallow wound, making him sigh lightly. No matter how much he resisted, this was how it always would end. He would be bleeding and everything would go dark as he was possessed once more.

"I still fucking hate you, bastard," Kyofu whispered, closing his eyes and forcing his own conscious to black out and hide away where he could truly listen to his own voice. "I'm gonna fuck you over one of these days, Arceus. It's only just a simple matter of time."

 _Aaannnddd roll the credits! Geez, I didn't expect this at all. Oh, wait, I wrote it, so I should have. Well, in the end, it looks like the end comes in another chapter. Well, I hope you have enjoyed this, as well as an attempt to poke fun at Buried Alive. Anyways, if you enjoyed, consider favoriting or following. Thank you, and goodbye._


	20. Chapter 18: Fade Away

_Do I really have to introduce this chapter? Well, I guess I will as I already technically am. Anyways, welcome to Chapter 18: Fade Away. As you all know, this will be the final chapter, but fear not, for there might be a sequel to this story. Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed this story, and please remember to keep an eye out for typos. It's greatly appreciated if you point them out. Thank you, and goodbye._

The light pitter patter of rain was what woke Kira up the next morning. She looked up at the roof, noticing in some places that it was a darker shade than in other places. Apart from that, the surrounding area just felt overall chilly. Sitting up slowly, she took the time to look around and find the others, who were all still passed out in one place or another. The camp was rather large, so they still had more than enough room to spread out, but, well, no one did. Everyone kept to themselves, even in the cold.

With a shake of her head, she quickly pushed away the feeling of worry and the cold. She silently headed to the next staircase, looking up towards the dark pit that was the next floor. They were so close, and yet they were also so far from the end of this all. It felt all to surreal, but here it was. The final push to the end was finally here, and it was going to end with both Kyofu and Arceus getting knocked down to size.

Kira wasn't sure when she had clenched her fist, but upon realizing it, she let her body and calm down, knowing the stress would weaken her as they ran to the final objective. Her breathing slowed lightly as warmth slowly washed over her; she turned and noticed a window on the opposite wall, allowing sunlight to wash into the room and fill it with even the smallest amounts of warmth.

"A new dawn brings a new hope, doesn't it?" Sage groaned loudly as he sat up, rubbing his eyes as the sun hit them. "But for once could it not be symbolized by the sun but by the moon or something. I already hate waking up to the sun, but it being in my eyes is just a fucking annoyance."

Kira nodded in response, smiling faintly as she watched him rouse the others. They had similar reactions, although they really only complained about him, except Wigglytuff as that pink rabbit was nothing but a ball of joy and excitement. Having already been up, Kira continued to watch as they packed up what had been left out. Soon enough, they would have to continue heading up the floors of the tower.

Once everyone was properly up and everyone had eaten breakfast, it was back into the tower once more. Like last time, Kira and Duke headed in first, splitting away from the others and climbing the tower as quick as they could. It wasn't immediately obvious, but the Pokémon were still getting harder and harder every floor. However, it seemed they wouldn't be able to get much stronger in terms of strategy.

As they progressed floors, Kira made sure to keep an eye out for any unusual Pokémon. In her hands, she was fidgeting with the same cube Sage had told her would capture another beast like Buried Alive. She didn't know if it worked on normal Pokémon, but she really didn't want to test it. After all, it had only one use as she had been told, and it would self-destruct if used improperly. Kira, however, didn't worry about that, as she was pretty sure she knew how to press a button and throw a ball.

With a shake of her head, Kira focused once more on the dungeon around her. Pokémon surrounded her and Duke on every side, which had been happening more and more as they climbed the floors. It wasn't that it had been rare at first, but that they had usually had enough room to run, but the size of their current enemies kept them from retreating out of the room, or even the floor for that matter. However, Kira and Duke were getting used to it, and their combos had begun to grow even more powerful as they got used to timing their attacks to combine and take out a lot of them at once. Heck, Kira wasn't sure if it was her or him taking them out, but they were doing it very, very well.

By the time they had reached somewhere around the ninetieth floor, Kira wasn't sure if their opponents could get any harder than they actually were. She was sure that even if they could, she and Duke wouldn't have many problems with them. The Pokémon were getting repetitive, as were their strategies. If this continued on, then neither of them would really be hit during battle.

It wasn't long before they were on the ninety-ninth floor, but there was an odd feeling in the air as they finally arrived on the floor. The air felt heavy, almost as though it was being dragged down by some sort of energy wave. But it also felt thin, as though something was tearing away the air around them and forcing it elsewhere.

"Th-they made me who I am," a voice whispered, fear gripping Kira's heart as she heard the child-like voice. "I made them red, but then my trainer did the same. Every time they came after me, I would make them red. I starved... I'm so hungry, but I'm so scared. I just wanted her back, and instead... she's fucking dead. I'm so scared. Won't you be my friends?"

Duke screeched loudly as a powerful beam of energy slammed him into a nearby wall. He collapsed, but not before another attack slammed him deeper into the concrete wall. As soon as he hit the ground, the only sign of life was the small lift of his chest as he breathed. He was still, otherwise.

Kira growled and looked at the Pokémon who had attacked them. It looked like some sort of Umbreon, but its "rings" had been replaced by an odd, red X. She could see tears within its eyes, its body thin and weak from what it had said. Something about it reminded her of Buried Alive, and she knew this had to be another beast. It was scary, and yet it was sad - it seemed torn between so many emotions at once.

"Whatever you are, I do not care to know," Kira mumbled, setting the bag to the side and grabbing the ball she had been given. "But what I do know is that I will take you out and that you will never harm anyone again."

Kira prepared to throw the ball, but the Umbreon suddenly disappeared. A moment of silence followed before something slammed into her from behind, forcing the sphere from her grip and slamming her into the wall face-first. Just like Duke, she fell to the ground, but her vision had grown dark and harsh around her. The sound of blood pounding in her ears echoed for what felt like years to her, only to come back to reality at the sound of shattering glass.

She raised her head and turned to look at Umbreon, noticing the last bits of the sphere lying under its paws. Its dark and terrifying smirk only grew as it felt the same red liquid it had seen seeped from its paws and to the ground beneath it.

"You made my paws dirty," it whispered, growling lightly and shaking its paw, blood flinging to the walls. "I feel so sick to my stomach watching my own red come from me. I'll kill you for this, freak. It was ordered of me anyways, so there's another reason to enjoy this fun."

Kira growled and stood, flinching lightly as she felt her own bones beginning to crack after the stress of surviving the attack and moving the way she was now. Once on her feet, she shot forward, throwing her tail forward, but it only hit air as the Umbreon disappeared and appeared on the opposite side of the room from her. She landed quickly, turning and rocketing forward once more. Like last time, the Pokémon just dodged her, almost as though predicting her attacks.

Kira, not wanting to allow it any time to recover from the attacks or charge up its own, she continued to charge the Pokémon, lashing out whenever she could. Even with how fast she was, the Pokémon wasn't just matching her, but outpacing her as well. It moved like lightning, jagged and blindingly so, but it couldn't continue this retreat forever. Eventually, it would mess up or try and attack, hopefully. It was all she could hope without a way to capture or defeat it.

"I'm not done with you just yet!" Kira snarled, slamming her tail into the ground and forming a crater. "Minor Meteor Strike." She quickly pushed off the ground, hitting the roof and kicking off once more. "Now you can't keep on the ground, you little fool. I'm going to win this fight, and you can't stop me!"

Kira snarled and kicked off the ceiling, slamming her tail into where Umbreon was. However, her tail only met solid ground as it disappeared once more, appearing on the edge of the crater with a light smirk. It said nothing as a powerful beam shot from it, slamming Kira deep into the crater.

"What was it you were saying about you not being done with me?" Umbreon asked, a light hint of joy hidden under his voice. "It appears to me you just gave up and allowed yourself to be hit by one of my attacks. Are you really that bad at keeping your promises?"

Kira smiled to herself as she felt energy running through her. "I'm not done with you," she responded, her body splitting into white and black once more. She stood, moving away from the other as she watched Umbreon. "You've only seen a fraction of my power up until now, dude. I'm gonna kick you so hard you'll wish it had killed you instead."

Umbreon chuckled lightly as the shattered rocks on the floor slowly rose to the ceiling, making some sort of trap from above them. Kira didn't mind as she knew she wasn't going to need the roof now anyways. With only a moment of silence between them, Kira's two forms shot at Umbreon. As she predicted, the Pokémon disappeared when she went in for the attack, which was when the black one suddenly changed direction, returning back to Kira and slamming a powerful Leaf Blade into Umbreon.

Blood hit the ground as the Umbreon was shot upwards and into the ceiling, rocks piercing it from behind and keeping it there. As soon as its focus ran out, though, the rocks fell, slamming into the ground, as well as Umbreon. Kira had destroyed the several above her, but the rest were now rubble, shards of the rocks Umbreon had used to attack.

Kira slowly walked over to the barely breathing Umbreon, leaning down and poking the side of its fluffy head. It turned and glared at her, but it knew that it shouldn't as her foot met its face, tearing it from the rock and slamming it into the wall. Kira then walked over and looked at its chest. Not once did it move, and even if it had, Kira still had enough energy to take out the beast.

Kira stayed there for several minutes before collapsing to her knees. Her breathing became heavy as she tried to catch her breath once more, although it was kind of hard for her. Eventually, though, she managed to do such a thing. By then, Duke was already up and digging through their bag. She didn't bother looking over, though, as she wanted to think about what had happened.

This Umbreon seemed to have been so hurt by those who she knew nothing about. But even then, it seemed so determined to hurt her, as though she had hurt it as well. The blood it had spilt seemed to have set off a chain reaction as well, but why? There were so many questions that she wanted answered, and yet there were none. Silently, she shook her head and let the thoughts drift away. A battle was a battle, and that was all there was to it. Besides, this was the final floor before the pinnacle.

"You look exhausted," Duke told her as he set a Max Elixir next to her. "You should drink this and get your energy back. Your final opponents should be on the next floor, my friend. Now stop looking at that beast and let us hurry onwards."

Kira sighed lightly and lowered her head. "But there was so much bloodshed in this life I have lived," Kira whispered, looking at her hands. Her vision flashed and blood appeared all around her, almost like a memory. "I spilt it all. I don't deserve to live! I've taken too many lives!"

Kira was snapped to reality as pain suddenly coursed through her face, her head snapping to the side as something made contact with her. She raised a hand to her cheek and looked over to Duke, who had his wing extended in the position he had used to hit her.

"We've all spilt some blood in our lives," he told her, his voice dark and filled with anger. "If you give up now, then all the blood on your hands will have been for nothing. Even if you hadn't, someone would have done this. Just know that you spilling their blood means nothing. They were never meant to exist here in the first place. And those that did... They got what they had coming either way. We all die, whether it be naturally or because we were idiots."

Kira nodded lightly, wiping tears from her eyes and forcing herself to down the drink. With it done, she stood and turned, heading into the maze-like floor to find the stairs. "I didn't want to kill them. I didn't have the choice to... I want to go home... I want to see what I have left after all this."

Kira eventually found the next flight of stairs. She looked at them with hatred before she began up them, light filling her vision as they finally left the tower. Kira could hear Duke following after, as well as the cold breeze of the sky reaching for them as they came to the surface after a day of running through the same tower.

Once at the pinnacle, Kira became away of two things. The first was that Arceus and Kyofu were both standing side-by-side at the other side of the tower. The second was that Sage, as well as Wigglytuff and Chatot, were both lying on the ground several feet away. Kira clenched her fist and stepped into the views of the Pokémon who stood in her way.

"Surrender," she simply ordered, hate coursing through her. "Surrender or I'll kill you both." Her body became encased in Flame while Fear consumed the other two. "I'm so sick and tired of your bullshit, Arceus. Let Kyofu go and I'll show a little bit of mercy. Kyofu, let me go home, and I might not kill you."

"So you really think you can still stand a chance against us?" Arceus chuckled, his dark eyes darkening even more upon the sight of her. "You must be sadly mistaken, kid. Kyofu already knocked out two of the world's strongest Pokémon without so much as lifting a paw. What do you think you have against him in the form you're in, kid?"

"She has me," Duke mumbled as he walked over, yawning lightly as he shoved a book into the bag before throwing it away. "Arceus, God of the Pokémon World. You're a wanted criminal in seventy thousand universes around entire multiverse. With that, I have everything I need against you, from stats to attacks to strategies. As for Kyofu, Kira can stand on par with people like us nearby."

Kira flinched as pain rushed through her, her vision becoming bright before returning to normal. She quickly raised her head, but instead of Pokémon, she saw humans instead. Each of them looked familiar, and yet she couldn't tell exactly why.

Where Arceus had been standing, a man in golden and white robes stood, a cross over his chest. Kyofu had been replaced by an old and fragile looking man wearing a great amount of robes and jewelry. In Duke's place, he had been replaced by a young guy wearing the armor of a medieval knight. And Kira was just... Kira; she knew this, even if she couldn't see herself.

As her vision returned to normal, her mind and body were filled with an unreal amount of rage. She could feel her blood boil within her, tearing at her and screaming to let loose and tear apart the two Pokémon who had led her to this point. But then again, were they all that bad? Well, yes, but they had brought her to something she would have never expected; she lived the life of a Pokémon, which could have never happened without them. But even that didn't forgive them for the bloodshed they had caused.

Kira sighed lightly and moved into a battle-ready position, facing Arceus initially before changing her target to a struggling Kyofu. She could see the pain within his eyes, so maybe it would be best to take him out before anything bad happened between the Pokémon. Then again, it was Arceus controlling the whole show. Maybe Kyofu would turn his back on Arceus if they could break his concentration.

"Do you have a plan yet?" Duke asked, his voice a whisper as he tried to think up his own plan. "They're too calm for this to not be a trap, Kira. We have to think this thoroughly before we even make a single step towards them."

"We take out Arceus first," Kira finally decided, clenching her hand in a fist as energy began to course through her once more, and likely for the last time. "If we can break his control of Kyofu, we might actually stand a chance against him. Arceus isn't too strong on his own, and breaking his control means we'll only have to worry about Arceus himself."

Duke nodded, sighing lightly before white light enveloped him. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this until coronation, but I guess there's always time to improve." As the white light began to dim, Duke grew much larger than before, but still only stood a foot above Kira. "Evolution complete!" he cried out, the light fading as he spread his wings. "It's time to fight like it's our last day!"

Kira smiled lightly before she quickly rocketed forward. The earth beneath her caved in, but she had already cleared the gap by the time it could have even remotely tripped her up. She quickly turned, slamming her tail into Arceus and sending him into the air before lashing out with her vines and slamming them into his chest. The attacks, however, seemed to have no effect whatsoever. He just began to stand on the air, his dark eyes watching her as though deciding on how to get rid of her. Duke, however, was too fast, flying above the God before slamming several sharpened feathers into its back.

Arceus snarled and landed on the ground with a light thud, his eyes flickering before he regained his balance and focus. He shook off the attacks as though they had caused nothing against him, raising his head and roaring loudly. The air around him began to swirl, cutting into Kira and Duke as the barely visible rocks were thrown from it and directly at them.

Kira eventually started to get annoyed, lashing out with her vines against the rocks. She would have just raised the earth, but she could tell that it wouldn't work very well against the legendary beast. Duke, on the other hand, began to flap his wings and send waves made of the wind back at Arceus. It may not have been the best strategy when there were two of them each, but focusing and pinning Arceus was the primary goal.

The pillar of air around Arceus began to thin, but the Pokémon wasn't done just yet. It was only for a split moment, but Arceus formed light within its mouth before launching it up to the sky. Kira and Duke focused on the light before it shattered into hundreds of pieces, rocketing back at the ground like a meteor.

"It's Judgement!" Duke yipped, quickly flying around and trying avoid the meteor-like attack. "Don't let yourself get hit by any of them, Kira! They're a lot stronger than you can possibly think they are!"

Kira didn't even speak as she dodged the attacks that slammed into the ground. Eventually, though, there was no ground for her to properly stand upon. She dashed towards Arceus, only realizing her mistake as something sharp sliced across her chest. She looked down, blood seeping from her chest as she collapsed to the ground. Several of the attacks followed after, hitting her with their full forced and knocking her deeper into the ground. It took a full minute for the rest of the attack to stop, and by then, Kira was once again on the verge of death.

"Such a weak and petty being," Arceus growled, a light thud following as Duke slammed into the ground. "Both of them, thinking they could defeat us, even with their own powers. How much weaker can you even get in this state, Kira? Kill her, Kyofu. Kill her and watch the blood run on your claws."

Kira slowly opened her eyes as pawsteps moved closer to her. Her head pounded as she turned and looked at Kyofu. His eyes shined with fear as his claws were extended, cutting into her back as he pushed it down onto her. A scream escaped her, even though it was weak. She could feel her blood seeping out and onto the forced claws, but she couldn't give up now; she couldn't give up ever.

Pain tore through her body as she forced her way to her hands and knees. Even then, she managed to turn and slam her tail into Kyofu's underside, knocking him only a few feet away. This, however, allowed her to catch her breath and force away the pain. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her nerves burning with pain, and yet neither of them matched her hatred for the duo that had caused them all this pain. Every second of it made her anger grow, but every second made her stronger, if only slightly.

Kira sighed lightly as her body began to rapidly heal, feeding upon her energy to push away the pain and restore the balance within her. Before it had healed fully, she was once again standing at full pride, her fists clenched and energy swirling around her. She didn't speak a single word as she jumped up, the energy swirling for only a moment before launching at both Kyofu and Arceus in a storm of leaves. Both Pokémon were hit by the storm-like attack, which lasted a full minute before finally dying out.

Breathing heavily, Kira used her vines to soften her landing to the ground. Upon touching down, she once again collapsed to her knees, finding it hard to control her energy after the single attack. She knew it had done quite a lot to them, but had it really been worth it in the end? Had all that energy even scratched them? She lifted her head right before a hoof met her face, knocking her back and to the edge of the tower. She could taste blood on her lips as she forced herself to stand, the light clink of footsteps echoing in her ears.

"You thought... you could... defeat us... with that pathetic attack?" Arceus coughed, his voice dull and weaker than before. "You put everything into that attack of yours, didn't you, Kira?" Arceus chuckled and lifted a hoof to her chest. "Too bad it did nothing to save you, fool. Too bad... it was the reason you died."

Kira growled, raising a hand to his hoof and gripping it as energy began to enter her once more. "As if I'd let myself die this stupid way," she snarled, her eyes focusing on the beast in front of her. "It's your fault this all began, and it'll be your fault for the way I end your life." She growled as her eyes became a bright green, flame erupting from her in every direction. "And it's your fault that I won't show mercy!"

Arceus' eyes widened as she somehow pushed him off her and to the opposite side of the tower. As he caught his balance, Kira appeared under him, lashing upwards and launching him skyward with Leaf Blade. Even then, she didn't stop her assault, dragging him down with Vine Whip and launching him towards the other side of the tower with another Leaf Blade. Her attacks were relentless and sharp, almost as though she were trying to kill him.

Kira let out a scream as she slammed her tail into his side, knocking him well away from her and to the edge. Her vines grabbed his legs, pulling him close for a direct punch to his face. Every hit and attack would have been lethal had he been a normal Pokémon, but he wasn't, and so he was suffering through the pain more than anyone else would have. Every blow was direct, a critical strike that would keep him unsteady and off his feet. But Kira wasn't done. No, even when he stopped, she didn't show the mercy she had once shown for everyone.

Arceus realized this only as the ground beneath his feet suddenly shot up, slamming into his underside. Unlike what he had expected, the sharpened edges tore through him, reappearing on the opposite side of his body almost instantly. Arceus found himself unable to breath, or even gasp for air, as Kira walked closer, a look of murderous intent hidden deep within the pain and hate in her eyes.

Kira felt tears fall down her cheeks and to the ground, but she didn't care as the Terra Crystal began to glow and crack under the amount of power being used. She reached up and gripped it, almost shattering it with the strength surging through her body. Her eyes looked at the ground before her hand fell and tore the rocks out from under the God in front of her. She could hear as he fell to the ground, a simple thud followed by a final gasp for unreachable oxygen.

"I'm sorry about this, but you left me no choice," Kira whispered, wiping away the tears streaming down her cheeks. She forced herself to smile as she raised her head and looked at Arceus. "But now you can't hurt anyone anymore. Now... the people of my world and this own are free from your tyrannical rule, Arceus. We don't have any more to fear."

She knew Arceus wouldn't respond, and yet she had said those words anyways. The adrenaline within her system began to wear off as she collapsed to her hands and knees. Her body screamed to release the tension in it, and yet she forced herself to stay there as the floor became wet with tears. What had she done? She shouldn't have killed him. Even if he was a murderer, no one deserved to die like that.

The only comfort Kira received was as Duke landed next to her, wrapping a wing around her. "It's okay," he whispered, his voice soothing and somehow calming. "You don't have to cry, Kira. Everything's done. You can go home now! You finished your mission... You can go back to a world where none of this can ever happen again."

"I... I'm not going back," Kira whispered, forcing herself to push him away and wipe away her tears once more. "I thought I wanted to go home, but now I can see that there's nothing left for me apart from you. Ragnarök and Leaf... Audino... Swanna... Everyone... You're all I know, even when the memories are bad. No human could ever match the feelings I feel for you all. I'm not going back, Duke. I'm staying... here in the Pokémon World."

Duke's shock was evident as he backed away, unsure of if what she said was the truth. He figured it out quickly as the orbs she had gathered appeared around her, only to shatter and fade away like dust. Without them, she wouldn't be able to ever return home. He sighed and nodded lightly, acknowledging the final decision she had made. He'd be lying if he said he had expected it, but now... Now they could see each other every day of the year, and every year of their lives.

Their attention was dragged from each other as footsteps sounded behind them. They turned and noticed Sage, who was holding a now unconscious Kyofu over his shoulder. Wigglytuff and Chatot were both up as well, although they still looked a bit shaken up from their tussle with Arceus before their arrival.

"Anything we missed?" Sage mumbled, exhaustion evident in his voice. "Apart from your choice to stay, that is. Is there anything else we should know about that might have happened during the battle?"

"Just that Arceus is dead now," Duke responded, looking at his wings before sighing. "And now that I forced myself to evolve, looks like it's straight back to the throne room for me. Screw my parents for their genetics and forced evolution styles. Too bad I can't go back."

Kira nodded lightly before looking down and rubbing her arm. This was the start of a new adventure, but it was only just beginning once more. The Pokémon World, her new home, had so much to offer in the wake of this moment. Even if Sage had said everything would get repetitive, Kira felt that maybe a fresh start here would be the best part.

She smiled and looked towards where Treasure Town was, then noticing the pillars of smoke coming from the town. There was a lot of stuff to do around the world, and this was the simple beginning.

 _And... CUT! Wow... So Kira's final decision wasn't what she was originally wanting, but who really cares? She's finally found her home with those she met in a world she had never been to. And, well, I think that's a fine ending to a story. If you have been here since chapter one, I thank you for being so patient with this story. If you still have questions or notice any mistakes, please don't be afraid to ask/point them out. Thank you, and goodbye ._


End file.
